Cloud computing is the hot buzz phrase. But as both Shawn Powers and I have pointed out, cloud computing is not a new technology, or even a new implementation of new technology. But that does not mean it is well understood, either by those who are designing or those who are crying out for it as they follow the yellow-brick road (or the latest issue of PC Week). As several Anonymous (and not so anonymous) commentators have said, there is a lot more to cloud computing then just hardware, some good data links and some smart coding. Because cloud computing means different things to different people (and at different times of the day), we need to be clear about our terms. Our friends at Wikipedia define cloud computing as:Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared servers provide resources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand...
In cloud computing, location matters. And so does ownership.
It's wise to remember this, as more and more companies try to sell individuals "Cloud" Solutions, sometimes there may be personal data you simply don't want to lose control of, or may regret having done so. If your personal Data is being stored in say Russia or China, or even Australia or New Zealand (if you are an American citizen), for example, how much control of it do you really have? How much control does the hosting company have?
Also from a personal point of view, what happens if you rely on the Cloud for your computing needs, and you can't connect?


