Gotta think outside (& get rid of) the box. Cloud computing is a disruptive technology just around the corner.
Cloud computing, the notion of outsourcing hardware and software to Internet service providers, is showing the classic signs of disruptive technology--it's not good enough for the masses yet, but it has clear potential to shake things up.
Forrester Research on Monday released a report written by James Staten, an IT operations and infrastructure analyst, saying that cloud computing does not meet the needs of large businesses. But that could be only temporary.
First command lines, then GUI, & now browsers. What next, Sergey?
How might expanding Google's cloud-computing service alter the digital world?
One of the places where Google, in particular, could have a large impact is integrating cloud computing into mobile devices, says Vander Wal. The company recently announced Android, a platform that allows people to build software for a variety of mobile phones. The alliance could spur the creation of mobile applications geared toward cloud computing, he says. People want to seamlessly move their data between computers, the Web, and phones, Vander Wal adds. "If Google is starting to solve that piece of the problem, it could have an impact because that's something no one's been able to do yet."
Still, there's a sense that Google's version of cloud computing has the appeal of simplicity, in spite of the current challenges. Schillace says that by moving applications and data to the Internet, Google is helping make the computer disappear. Initially, people interacted with computers using command lines, Schillace explains, then used a graphical interface; now people can do much of their work in a Web browser, which can be on a personal computer or a small handheld device. "It's about letting the computer get out of our way so we can work with other people and share our information."
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