Does anybody remember the NC in the late 1990s, the idea that we would all want a dumbed down PC light that would have its OS and apps on servers. Anybody who has used an NC will know they are slow and awful, and all the control is in someone else's hands
Anyway, on the whole Microsoft new blueskies OS thing. It sounds like another vague vapourware idea, basically MS are fearful of the whole Google apps on the web idea and are looking to try and keep making big money in a future where the net is everything (sounds like Neuromancer)
But if they can pull off a whole new non legacy fantastic computer platform, then good on them, but until I see anything beyond a codename and some woolly statements, I will hold my judgement
Indeed. The more I think about this, the more rediculous it seems. Things like SETI@home and folding@home are designed on the principle that thousands or millions of home computers are far better at processing things than even the most powerful servers owned by the biggest companies. Not to mention the cost of these things, when you consider energy expenses over the next 20 years, running these enourmous server farms is going to cost a fortune. Are the costs really going to be paid for by in-line ads?
I can understand the appeal of not having to buy new external HDDs for example every few years for our ever growing digital needs, in fact I already back up all my stuff to my 'own' server, encrypted and well hidden, rather than use .mac (MobileMe), but it's incredibly slow. I have more than 280GBs of data I consider 'critical'. A backup to even a Firewire 400 drive would only take an hour or two, to the web, could take 200 hours with my upload speeds and a computer restore would still take 10 hours, at least.
I know we're talking 5 years into the future, but I don't think cloud computing will take hold until:
-: We get 400 - 500 Mbps bandwidth on both wired and wireless broadband
-: You get <10 Msec latency on the above
-: Cloud servcies are private, and owned (not licensed) by the individual and so are considered private property (like a physical computer)
-: The shift to the cloud allows formfactors for Laptops to be 'ultra-portable' (as steve described the first ever iPod). i.e. it'll be a fold up screen and keyboard with virtually zero footprint when out away
At this point, it has a chance, assuming the users can be persuaded that virtual data is real and safe... and that is unlikely so long as Generation X (born 1960 - 1979) is dominant in the computing arena (which we currently are).