Let's Talk About the Cloud!

[whitedust]

Ok, I'm trying to figure this all out? Seems like you need one kick *** fast computer & internet connection, minimal software & get hooked in the Cloud & use all their software to do whatever you do on your home PC minus the software & storeage as the Cloud will do it for you. Cell Phones can be hooked in as well.
Is this legal using software & services you don't own?
How do I get into the Cloud?
What else can you tell about the Cloud?
Seems like the next big thing? Yes, No or Maybe?

 

[scott_b]

The biggest advantage I see to the cloud, and specifically the iCloud (since I have gulped down the Apple Koolaid) is for portable devices but with ATT and Verizon setting limits on your data transfer over cell I am not sure how the cloud can survive...

 

[pete_w]

link to article

For the most part what you hear on tv or read on the web, It's 1 part hype and 2 parts "THE NEXT BIG THING " or maybe 3 parts hype.
This Guy has a pretty generic article on "The cloud" with out getting into specifics and some decent analogies .
Pete

 

[dcsnomo]

"The Cloud" is a marketing buzzword that simply refers to the migrqation of software, content, and users from a single location pc to internet servers.

You are using "The Cloud" right now. Rather than storing your John Dee comments on your pc, you upload them to an internet server where we can all share them.

Now, think about your music collection. It's on your pc, that's the only place you can listen to it. So, you buy an mp3 player or download to your phone, then take it with you. Wouldn't it make more sense to upload all your music to a server, then access it with any internet device? All you would need is the device and the high speed connection. You can try this now at Amazon, where they are giving 5gb of music storage for free.

Think about documents. Why do I want the software (MS Office) loaded on my pc, (which I have to pay for) and why do I want to store those documents on my pc? Try Google Docs. Everything is on the Google servers, so I can access my docs from anywhere. Also, docs can be shared. Think about a presentation for a client. Someone could be building the pres while I am in the air to the client, I can review and revise at the hotel. Yeah, you can do this with e-mail, but that creates multiple copies and confusion.

Remember when e-mail was on your pc with Outlook? Not no more, man! Gmail, yahoo mail, etc. are all "cloud", you can access your e-mail anywhere if you have an internet connection and an appliance.

With the strong growth of high speed service in the US, this cloud thing becomes highly marketable, because consumers will buy new appliances to access it. Tablets, smart phones, etc. will, and are, replacing pcs.

You do not need a kick azzed pc to do it. You need an appliance (smartphone, tablet, pc) and access to high speed. As for the software question, the license is granted when you agree to the terms of service.

This is a major paradigm shift for consumers. After After 3 decades of buying pcs and software (and maintaining them) we are now going to let someone else do that for us. A tablet, a connection and a Google account replaces all the pcs, mp3s, software, hard drives and other bs for the majority of non-business consumers.

 

[handiman]

dcsnomo -
I've thought a lot about all you mentioned - and it is very attractive. However, I'm still not sold on the security of the beast. You could have very sensitive material (SS#, DOB, home address, pictures of your kids, etc.) in the "clouds" that can possibly get access/stolen and abused by the nasty folks.

I've seen too many horror stories of data/identity theft via "secure, encrypted servers". Like I said, I'm just not sold on the security yet.

 

[dcsnomo]

dcsnomo -
I've thought a lot about all you mentioned - and it is very attractive. However, I'm still not sold on the security of the beast. You could have very sensitive material (SS#, DOB, home address, pictures of your kids, etc.) in the "clouds" that can possibly get access/stolen and abused by the nasty folks.

I've seen too many horror stories of data/identity theft via "secure, encrypted servers". Like I said, I'm just not sold on the security yet.

Me either. I'm good with music, photos, documents, etc, but my Quickbooks and Quicken files still reside on my pc.

 

[lofsfire]

dcsnomo -
I've thought a lot about all you mentioned - and it is very attractive. However, I'm still not sold on the security of the beast. You could have very sensitive material (SS#, DOB, home address, pictures of your kids, etc.) in the "clouds" that can possibly get access/stolen and abused by the nasty folks.

I've seen too many horror stories of data/identity theft via "secure, encrypted servers". Like I said, I'm just not sold on the security yet.

I agree!! People need to think about this even if they use Outlook. Anything sent over the intent is vulnerable.
Think about this you if you use Outlook, Your PC crashes and the HD is fired where are all those important emails? Lost? Maybe, but maybe your smart enough to make a backup, maybe your even smart enough to know, If it's not backed up in at least 2 other place besides the original ITS NOT BACKED UP!
Now think about this if you use Gmail and Gmails sever crashes, what would happened to their Stocks if they lost your data and millions of other peoples data, it would plunge I have know idea how many copies off data Google keep to back up there system but I would guess that its more than three!

Now think about that email you just sent with your

SS#, DOB, home address, pictures of your kids, etc.

in it. How many copies are out floating on the net somewhere?
Now with that said Google, Yahoo and other email providers guard this data very closely b/c if not they would have plunging stocks as well! Just realize that are risk in sending an email with personal data in it.

For those of you that read this and said maybe I should back-up some of my data, I highly recommend it and do it on a set schedule and manually if you add something that only exist in one place.

A simple way for those not that great with computers is a BUFFALO LinkStation Pro Duo RAID Its a Basic Raid set up or 2 1tb drives. With the raid set up you will have real time file back or what is know as a mirror of anything on the drive.
Of course for those of you that are better with computers most average and above computer can be setup to be a raid system as well. Get you mother board book out to check for sure.