Cloud computing. Sseesh, wil Microsoft NEVER learn? (Microsoft Azure)

[fatality_uk]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7693993.stm

Just when they FAIL stupendously with Vista, along comes cloud computing, which by almost all rationale will have a very small marker footprint.

Most people I speak to in the IT business community, at various conferences say that cloud computing is a very small, very specific use.

It feels that Microsoft is grabbing at any and every "new" idea.

[Paqman]

I say good on them. They've been flipping and flopping about with no clear direction for a while now. It's good to see them trying to go in new directions, even if it doesn't look like it'll change the world.

They're the biggest fish in the IT sea, and innovation is good. If nothing else they'll motivate Google to keep pushing forward and maintain their lead.

[Perpetual]

Although I am not sold on 'cloud computing' I don't see that Vista is a failure. If you have spent any time with Vista (work, produced, used) then I can not see how it can be called a failure. I work on Vista everyday and find it to be a good OS that has stepped-up from XP.

XP got the same criticism when it was released.

[forrestcupp]

You're acting like MS just recently heard about this and decided to run with it.

Microsoft has been saying for a very long time that they wanted to shift toward making all of their software internet and subscription based. In fact, the whole Windows Live thing was supposed to be part of the transition.

Honestly, when Microsoft was talking about doing this years ago, they were the first people I'd ever heard mention that concept. They've been working on this a lot longer than most of these other "cloud computing" options that you see popping up. And I hated the idea back then as much as I do now.

[geoken]

Most people I speak to in the IT business community, at various conferences say that cloud computing is a very small, very specific use.



That's the complete opposite of everything I hear. Most people around here believe that in a few years there company will be running thin clients using hosted apps (on servers they control). Actually, wherever possible, my company already does this. Any app that can, is currently running on Citrix. If they could run every app on my computer from a central server they would jump on both the opportunity to lower hardware costs and the opportunity to feed their desire for total control.

[ronnielsen1]

Yeah, I want Microsoft to have access to all of my files

[forrestcupp]

That's the complete opposite of everything I hear. Most people around here believe that in a few years there company will be running thin clients using hosted apps (on servers they control). Actually, wherever possible, my company already does this. Any app that can, is currently running on Citrix. If they could run every app on my computer from a central server they would jump on both the opportunity to lower hardware costs and the opportunity to feed their desire for total control.

Good points. I guess my hatred of the "cloud computing" idea is based on the viewpoint of a desktop user, not a corporation. It might be good for a corporate network, but never for a desktop.

[OffHand]

I'm sure the company I work for will never put their stuff that is worth millions and millions on a server/mainframe outside the office.

[SunnyRabbiera]

I am unsure how MS will go about this though, both XP and vista are too bloated for cloud computers.
If they base Azure off vista they might as well try loading a tractor trailer inside of a Volkswagen Beetle

[geoken]

I'm sure the company I work for will never put their stuff that is worth millions and millions on a server/mainframe outside the office.

I though the whole idea is that they're selling an OS that companies will put on their own servers.

[geoken]

I am unsure how MS will go about this though, both XP and vista are too bloated for cloud computers.
If they base Azure off vista they might as well try loading a tractor trailer inside of a Volkswagen Beetle

This OS isn't running on the client computer. It's the OS that's powering the remote apps and it will be running on a sever.

[SunnyRabbiera]

This OS isn't running on the client computer. It's the OS that's powering the remote apps and it will be running on a sever.

well thats nice, in a 1984 sort of way :D

[richg]

Yahoo with Cloud computing. Like it or not, it is the future. Some of you must live in your own cloud. Start reading the Tech news. Sheesh.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/152911/.html?tk=rss_news

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ned=us&q=cloud+computing&btnmeta%3Dsearch%3Dsearch=Search+the+Web

Rich

[OffHand]

I though the whole idea is that they're selling an OS that companies will put on their own servers.

Quote from BBC:


The aim is to allow developers to build new applications which will live on the internet, rather than on their own computers.

Microsoft believes consumers will also want to store far more of their data - from letters to photos to videos - on the servers in its "cloud" of giant data centres around the world, so that it can be accessed anywhere, from any device.

Check picture to see what Microsoft’s cloud looks like, from an architectural diagram standpoint.

[BackwardsDown]

Although I am not sold on 'cloud computing' I don't see that Vista is a failure. If you have spent any time with Vista (work, produced, used) then I can not see how it can be called a failure. I work on Vista everyday and find it to be a good OS that has stepped-up from XP.

XP got the same criticism when it was released.

Yeah when it was released.

People were not asking for Windows 98 TWO years after the XP-release. Vista is a flop, even ballmer has stated that.

[Perpetual]

Yeah when it was released.

People were not asking for Windows 98 TWO years after the XP-release. Vista is a flop, even ballmer has stated that.

Hmm, I suppose that could be a point of view. I have used every Windows release since 3.1 and TO ME, Vista is better than it's predecessors. That's only my little opinion though. Out of curiosity though, where does Ballmer say Vista is a 'flop'?

[Dixon Bainbridge]

Promoted as freedom, when in reality its another lock-in.

[fatality_uk]

No company in their right mind is going to allow commercially sensitive information to be stored on a 3rd party server. No company in it's right mind will want to run mission critical software from a 3rd party server that could a) crash, b) lose connection c) lose data.

It's a buzzword to get Joe the plummer :) to sign up for a subscription based service in addition to the os which has been paid for

[smoker]

It's a buzzword to get Joe the plummer :) to sign up for a subscription based service in addition to the os which has been paid for

good description :)

sounds to me like this is being promoted by a bunch of people with their heads in the clouds, and putting it across as something they hope people will realise they suddenly can't live without! imo, the next big flop, but then again, i may only be a Joe the plumber :)

[FranMichaels]

Yahoo with Cloud computing. Like it or not, it is the future. Some of you must live in your own cloud. Start reading the Tech news. Sheesh.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/152911/.html?tk=rss_news

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ned=us&q=cloud+computing&btnmeta%3Dsearch%3Dsearch=Search+the+Web

Rich

I seriously doubt its the future. Unless people and corporations are willing to trust their data. Whether it be personal data or corporate data, and provide a few more points of lock-in and points of failure. I could see this as being useful if personal computers weren't already so powerful, and that if somehow people preferred renting their data out.

Some of us must live in our own cloud if we don't accept "it is the future" at face value. Heck, with Linux, isn't not that hard to make your own cloud, is it? Ask google. :p

There are many areas where using this cloud, will be just plain unacceptable. And so it should be.

P.S. Not to mention government institutions as well. Different countries included of course... should avoid it.

[spoons]

Cloud computing?!? This is madness! (wait for it)

[Delever]

Cloud computing is utopia, where you have only bare system locally, and anything you want to use can be started with single click. Then that application in some form (javascript, binary, .NET), is downloaded to your computer and cached in file system. Of course, to avoid downloading it every time, there will be option to store application locally, until update is available, for comfort of users. Maybe even a way to update all stored applications from single update manager! That would be an invention!

[Paqman]

From the sound of it, Azure will basically be Gears for Windows 7. Yawn.

Of course, Microsoft have actually been doing cloud computing for years. Ever heard of Hotmail?

[Frak]

They changed the name. This has to be, what, the third name change?