People don't know what "cloud computing" means because the marketing weasels at too many companies don't know what they're hawking, or, even worse, the companies themselves don't really have a grasp of what services they're trying to sell. They know only that the "Cloud" is the next Big Thing, and they're convinced they need to be in it.
Yep they have fallen prey to a hype machine. Personally I've been around the computer industry for a long time, one thing that is obvious is that could computing has no foundation to build upon and in some cases it's success depends upon getting people to use services they have no rational reason to do so.
For example there is a rational reason to Go to a business to order something online. That capability has existed for some time so I'm not sure if you would call it cloud computing though I believe it could be considered as such. On the other hand you have organizations like Google trying to get you to run your apps in the cloud - this is beyond stupid. The lack of success here should be an indication that people reject the concept.
But a crippled Cloud storage. I can't store just anything there, only specific documents which Apple has blessed. Yes, I'll be missing iDisk alot. I've been an Apple fan since I bought my first Apple //e, but I think they made a major error not accommodating an "iDisk-like" file storage service.
Not that using iDisk was all that much of a joy, but it was very useful to have in conjunction with other Apple MobileMe features. In the end I see us loosing some rather useful features with iCloud, making iCloud far less compelling.
I dunno, I'm pretty tech savvy, but every time I read what iCloud will and won't do, I get a bit dizzy and quit reading. One would think that someone like myself who once owned a server farm (aka these days, "the cloud") could understand this stuff, but I certainly don't understand all the ins and outs yet. Whats replaced on .Me, whats not replaced. Whats backed up automatically, and whats not. What interferes and continues to run in the background, etc etc. It all seems to be too feature rich for me, but I'm sure I will grow to understand and adapt over time. I just hope the default setting is OFF, so you can turn on what you want to use and don't. Then, one can try, modify, and learn.
I am still not sure exactly what docs will sync to the cloud. Nor am I sure what pics will sync. For instance, will ALL my recent pics in iPhoto from my digital cams sync, or just the iPhone pics? And, thats just a starter. I'm sure my questions will be answered when I can sit down and digest this stuff piece by piece.
I'm beginning to think that Apple devices are getting feature creep, just like we talked about over the years with MS Office. Poor new users, they won't know what to do with all this stuff.
"Most U.S. consumers do use some form of cloud computing, which refers to a software application or process accessed from the Internet rather than a local hard drive. But a new survey from the NPD Group also found that just 22 percent of consumers are familiar with the term "cloud computing."
I think most of US consumers still think there is a ham in a burger and therefore its name is hamburger.
I know, that's why I mentioned it in my previous post
SaaS is just the now-hip-and-trendy-in-the-enterprise name for what originally was called 'cloud computing'. The fact that cloud storage and synchronization is now also called 'cloud computing' only contributes to the confusion mentioned in this article.
AFAIK, SAAS was a meme ten years or so ago. Long before online backup was offered by anybody. And long before broadband was popular enough for it to work.
I just can't get cirrus about cloud computing, Maybe a thunderbolt will help.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WelshDog
"I put my stuff in the Cloud, but then it rained. What do I do now?"
Surely that will be heard at a support center someday soon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilBoogie
Access a Pages document on a PC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by diddy
You can get at the file, Opening it is another story. Maybe iWork.com?
With iWork.com, you can send an iWork document up there. You can then edit it on any Mac, iPad or iPhone, in native format if you have the appropriate iWork apps. Otherwise you can download a Word, PowerPoint or PDF to view/edit/etc. eg. on a PC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gustav
You do realize you can't just put arbitrary files on iCloud, right. Only apps that support iCloud can put their documents in the iCloud. There is no iDisk functionality. If you want that, you'll need DropBox or a similar service.
Now, it may be technically possible for an app to accept arbitrary files and put them in the cloud. But I suspect they'd have to be encapsulated in some sort of archive first. I haven't read the developer docs yet to know if this is possible.
Yeah, we'll have to see how it goes. Apple's developer agreement may disallow them from cloudifying arbitrary files not related to the developer's app... Or they may allow it, so the first developers to create Dropbox-like functionality for iCloud will gain some traction.
As for me, I ponied up $99/year for 50GB of Dropbox, in the past few days I sent up about 6GB of stuff I 100% need to be "offsite". I.E. in case of catastrophic hardware failure or loss. I will be travelling overseas as well at the end of the month, so I will be carrying my MacBook Pro, Time Machine HD and USB stick. If all gets lost or damaged MobileMe, Gmail, Evernote and DropBox should have me covered. Lion can be re-downloaded from the App Store. Actually, heck, I'm going to send up my Lion, iWork and iLife DMGs to DropBox.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella
Apple should refer to it as "North Carolina computing".
When someone asks "where is my data?"...in North Carolina.
I definitely hope it's not *all* in North Carolina and that backups are somehow mirrored off-site, outside the US.
Putting on my "Don Draper" hat, I would say, the key concept is that "Cloud" must mean "Anywhere, anytime, peace of mind" to the layperson for them to "get it".
I'd love to see someone do a 60's retro-style add advertising iCloud, just for kicks. One day I will teach at art schools and give them the most bizarre and punishing assignments! Muah ha ha ha ha ha
Anywhere, anytime, peace of mind. Perhaps divinely ethereal yet comforting in a way.
AFAIK, SAAS was a meme ten years or so ago. Long before online backup was offered by anybody. And long before broadband was popular enough for it to work.
Poor SUN, they had it kinda right, but a bit too early. The network is slowly becoming the computer. Or more accurately at this stage the network and the computer are both intertwined, and one cannot function without the other.
Try doing almost anything on the computer without a broadband connection. Pretty much impossible. Conversely, a network alone with just thin clients (also something that was much vaunted for decades) and "dumb devices" is not sufficient.
Any time you see the word "cloud" in the context of computing, just mentally substitute "internet" for "cloud." And see how much clearer things become.
That is exactly what I was thinking. That's how you ease in the concept. Then you start off explaining photostream when they start wondering how space on their iPad is running out even though they take all their photos on the iPhone!!
But seriously, I think this is a kind of non-story. I'm sure people will get used to it in no time. And, like every portable cassette player was a "Walkman" and every MP3 player is an "iPod", cloud computing will simply be known as "iCloud"!!
Comments
That would have been poignant indeed... had the year been 2005 instead of 2011.
Well said.
People don't know what "cloud computing" means because the marketing weasels at too many companies don't know what they're hawking, or, even worse, the companies themselves don't really have a grasp of what services they're trying to sell. They know only that the "Cloud" is the next Big Thing, and they're convinced they need to be in it.
Yep they have fallen prey to a hype machine. Personally I've been around the computer industry for a long time, one thing that is obvious is that could computing has no foundation to build upon and in some cases it's success depends upon getting people to use services they have no rational reason to do so.
For example there is a rational reason to Go to a business to order something online. That capability has existed for some time so I'm not sure if you would call it cloud computing though I believe it could be considered as such. On the other hand you have organizations like Google trying to get you to run your apps in the cloud - this is beyond stupid. The lack of success here should be an indication that people reject the concept.
But a crippled Cloud storage. I can't store just anything there, only specific documents which Apple has blessed. Yes, I'll be missing iDisk alot. I've been an Apple fan since I bought my first Apple //e, but I think they made a major error not accommodating an "iDisk-like" file storage service.
Not that using iDisk was all that much of a joy, but it was very useful to have in conjunction with other Apple MobileMe features. In the end I see us loosing some rather useful features with iCloud, making iCloud far less compelling.
I am still not sure exactly what docs will sync to the cloud. Nor am I sure what pics will sync. For instance, will ALL my recent pics in iPhoto from my digital cams sync, or just the iPhone pics? And, thats just a starter. I'm sure my questions will be answered when I can sit down and digest this stuff piece by piece.
I'm beginning to think that Apple devices are getting feature creep, just like we talked about over the years with MS Office. Poor new users, they won't know what to do with all this stuff.
I think most of US consumers still think there is a ham in a burger and therefore its name is hamburger.
I know, that's why I mentioned it in my previous post
SaaS is just the now-hip-and-trendy-in-the-enterprise name for what originally was called 'cloud computing'. The fact that cloud storage and synchronization is now also called 'cloud computing' only contributes to the confusion mentioned in this article.
AFAIK, SAAS was a meme ten years or so ago. Long before online backup was offered by anybody. And long before broadband was popular enough for it to work.
I just can't get cirrus about cloud computing, Maybe a thunderbolt will help.
"I put my stuff in the Cloud, but then it rained. What do I do now?"
Surely that will be heard at a support center someday soon.
Access a Pages document on a PC?
You can get at the file, Opening it is another story. Maybe iWork.com?
With iWork.com, you can send an iWork document up there. You can then edit it on any Mac, iPad or iPhone, in native format if you have the appropriate iWork apps. Otherwise you can download a Word, PowerPoint or PDF to view/edit/etc. eg. on a PC.
You do realize you can't just put arbitrary files on iCloud, right. Only apps that support iCloud can put their documents in the iCloud. There is no iDisk functionality. If you want that, you'll need DropBox or a similar service.
Now, it may be technically possible for an app to accept arbitrary files and put them in the cloud. But I suspect they'd have to be encapsulated in some sort of archive first. I haven't read the developer docs yet to know if this is possible.
Yeah, we'll have to see how it goes. Apple's developer agreement may disallow them from cloudifying arbitrary files not related to the developer's app... Or they may allow it, so the first developers to create Dropbox-like functionality for iCloud will gain some traction.
As for me, I ponied up $99/year for 50GB of Dropbox, in the past few days I sent up about 6GB of stuff I 100% need to be "offsite". I.E. in case of catastrophic hardware failure or loss. I will be travelling overseas as well at the end of the month, so I will be carrying my MacBook Pro, Time Machine HD and USB stick. If all gets lost or damaged MobileMe, Gmail, Evernote and DropBox should have me covered. Lion can be re-downloaded from the App Store. Actually, heck, I'm going to send up my Lion, iWork and iLife DMGs to DropBox.
Apple should refer to it as "North Carolina computing".
When someone asks "where is my data?"...in North Carolina.
I definitely hope it's not *all* in North Carolina and that backups are somehow mirrored off-site, outside the US.
Putting on my "Don Draper" hat, I would say, the key concept is that "Cloud" must mean "Anywhere, anytime, peace of mind" to the layperson for them to "get it".
I'd love to see someone do a 60's retro-style add advertising iCloud, just for kicks. One day I will teach at art schools and give them the most bizarre and punishing assignments! Muah ha ha ha ha ha
Anywhere, anytime, peace of mind. Perhaps divinely ethereal yet comforting in a way.
AFAIK, SAAS was a meme ten years or so ago. Long before online backup was offered by anybody. And long before broadband was popular enough for it to work.
Poor SUN, they had it kinda right, but a bit too early. The network is slowly becoming the computer. Or more accurately at this stage the network and the computer are both intertwined, and one cannot function without the other.
Try doing almost anything on the computer without a broadband connection. Pretty much impossible. Conversely, a network alone with just thin clients (also something that was much vaunted for decades) and "dumb devices" is not sufficient.
Any time you see the word "cloud" in the context of computing, just mentally substitute "internet" for "cloud." And see how much clearer things become.
That is exactly what I was thinking. That's how you ease in the concept. Then you start off explaining photostream when they start wondering how space on their iPad is running out even though they take all their photos on the iPhone!!
But seriously, I think this is a kind of non-story. I'm sure people will get used to it in no time. And, like every portable cassette player was a "Walkman" and every MP3 player is an "iPod", cloud computing will simply be known as "iCloud"!!
And, like every portable cassette player was a "Walkman" and every MP3 player is an "iPod", cloud computing will simply be known as "iCloud"!!
That would mean that Apple will hire even more lawyers and file even more lawsuits. They are extremely litigious when it comes to service marks.
That would mean that Apple will hire even more lawyers and file even more lawsuits. They are extremely litigious when it comes to service marks.
dont you mean iLawyers with their iLawsuits?