Cloud Computing

What is cloud computing?

I used to think of cloud computing as a buzz word. Groups of computers such as beowulf clusters were formerly considered a "cloud" but it the modern usage is entirely different.

These days “cloud computing” refers to applications and storage being available and used through the network, rather than locally. This means that work in done online through the browser and information is saved out in servers somewhere that you could likely not find.

What are the benefits and disadvantages of cloud computing for an ordinary computer user?

The ordinary user may have trouble finding documents stored locally or collaborating, which can be easier through “the cloud.” In an extreme example, if a user’s computer explodes his documents in the cloud will be just fine!

What are the benefits and disadvantages of cloud computing for a start-up company?

Presently cloud computing for certain tasks (such as word processing) can be cheaper and easier to deploy than traditional desktop applications. The downsides are reliance on the network and having potentially sensitive documents out on the internet.

What are the social dangers of cloud computing? That is, why might people be uneasy about the whole world's documents being stored on GoogleDocs instead of on local machines?

Simply put, it’s not easy to trust a large corporation with your documents. For years users have been storing copies personally, used to having it physically sitting right next to them. The move to cloud computing is even less physical. The dangers associated are potential hackers and packet sniffers who could steal or copy documents in their entirety.