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What do you think of cloud computing?

13 Comments

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I'll stick to hard drive and encrypted USB drives.

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Heavenly!

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meh...fancy word for internet storage...

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Even if they claim that they're not checking it or that they have deleted it you'll have no way of confirming that yourself. They could potentially store your data indefinitely on various backup servers.

It is interesting, that a company that I worked for used to demand that hard disks be physically destroyed so that data could not be recovered when the disk was no longer used. But once they went to the cloud, the cloud providers "cross our heart and hope to die" was good enough.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I use Amazon, iCloud, iTunes, Gmail, Google Docs, Picasa, Dropbox and Evernote - all cloud based, of course. My database at work is cloud-based, as well. I just don't think I'm that important or that interesting for anyone to give a frack about my data. Nothing to hide, either - move along. Besides the ease of use/access on any PC, phone, iPad, and ease of collaboration and sharing, etc there is the back-up factor. Keeping everything in once place is great - until a fire, flood or earthquake destroys that place or you are the victim of physical theft, for that matter. To each his/her own, we all have to way convenience vs. risk.

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Once you give up your data to somebody else's server you lose control over it.

Even if they claim that they're not checking it or that they have deleted it you'll have no way of confirming that yourself. They could potentially store your data indefinitely on various backup servers.

If you read the actual cloud computing agreement you'll see that the server owner reserves the right to view your data. No doubt they do so.

My data is staying with me.

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Storing data on some remove server does not necessarily mean that the administrators of that server have access to the data. Data can be encrypted before it is sent to the remote server. However, that depends on the kind of application.

For instance if you put a mail server into the cloud, well, it has to accept clear-text SMTP connections on port 25. So that data centre has access to all your e-mail.

One possible problem with cloud computing is putting the eggs in one basket. If a single cloud data centre is destroyed, there go thousands of servers. (But on the other hand, there is possibly an environmental benefit, as I note below.)

The main benefit of cloud computing is bandwidth. Even if you run a website out of your own office, you can save bandwidth by putting the static content like large images and videos into the "cloud". Just point the URL's there.

Basically, what is a cloud? It is vapor. And the word "vapor" has been used for a long time in computing with negative connotations: namely as part of the word "vapor ware". My domain is served by a machine that is chugging away here, right under the desk where I'm typing this and this gives me a good feeling.

Now, suppose I had to relocate. During the move, I cannot receive e-mail. Instead, I could use the cloud as a kind of temporary shelter: put everything on a cloud server until a new home is established with a solid net connection. Then, back to serving it from home.

Depending on what kind of deal you have for the service, and how much you pay for electricity if you run your own, it could be cheaper to go with the cloud.

Even if it's not cheaper, I believe cloud data centers save energy. If a million customers each operate a server computer, that requires more wattage than a farm of servers that is able to serve up one million virtual machines.

When those million computers are discarded, that creates more waste.

Basically it's a complicated question, somewhat. There are numerous issues, and it boils down to: clouds are here, in what way, if any, can I use them to my advantage, and under what circumstances, while avoiding disadvantages.

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I think cloud computing is a great thing. Pretty soon computers will be totally small, and you won't ever need to worry about losing data. Plenty of ways to protect it. So long as there is competition between cloud companies, people would drop a provider in a hurry if they thought their data was being compromised.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Clouds can be used as computers? Solar power I can understand but clouds? What happens if it is a cloudless day? First there was Sky TV and now cloud computers. I tell you this world is developing too quick for me and I'm being left behind.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not only that, but since all picture files have GPS tags embedded in them, they'll have your complete life story on their database

Sorry but not all photos have GPS tags on them. If they are taken with a smart phone yes but most cameras dont have that function unless you buy the seperate equipment which l doubt many people would... So no need to be paranoid about your pictures.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Why would I give anybody access to all my data?

I prefer to keep my private files, documents and pictures solely on my personal hard drive.

Once the data is on somebody's server they have total access to it and you can never confirm what they'll do with it and even if they'll delete it once they promise too.

The cloud operates will no doubt mine all the data they get.

They'll run data mining algorithms on emails, documents, messages and so forth. Not only that, but since all picture files have GPS tags embedded in them, they'll have your complete life story on their database.

Not for me and I definitely wouldn't put any pictures of children on those cloud servers.

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