What is your opinion on Cloud computers like Google Chrome OS?

Wave of the future? Failure to launch? OR Something else?

...Google Chrome OS isn't, by any possible meaning of the phrase, "Cloud Computing".

Amazon EC2 and Microsoft Azure are the standard cloud computing platforms (the former generally considered dominant). Google Web Apps for Businesses could be considered by some to resemble a cloud platform as well.

I can see where they'd be applied in business, but personal computers don't require it yet. There's plenty of power in a single machine for relatively cheap. Maybe in 10 or so years when internet rates and servers can effectively play games or something similar on a large scale could we adopt this on a wider scale.


Plus there's a lot of security involved, which may get in the way of things.

In some ways, I embrace cloud computing, while in others, I don't like it. I could see it being a great way to protect your files but then you can't physically hold the disk with them on it, which is something I like (but hate for the physical media getting damaged or lost).

In Chrome OS, you can't do anything with local files. You are stuck in a browser window. Forcing you to use web apps like Google Docs, and Picnic. Over all I think Google Chrome OS has its place in the laptop world, and maybe for home users who do nothing but check their email.

For System Admins like myself they are working on a feature called "Chomemotting" which is basically Remote desktop. But I don't see it knocking Windows off my desk just yet.

Over all Great laptop for anybody who travels and only needs the internet, but if you need more stick with Windows (or Mac or Linux) for now at least.

Cloud is a meaning less buzz word. Can anyone describe what it does?
Yes, chrome is advertised as "cloud" but what does that mean really.

...Cloud computing is a term used to describe the scalability of cloud platforms like Amazon EC2/EC3 and Microsoft Azure. It is not, in any sense of the word, remote computing, nor is it any "Google" web browser, nor is it any single user-facing service like Hotmail or Gmail.

(Basically, I agree with KYA.)

Edit: Yeah, when I think about it its basically pointless to even debate it. It is nothing more than a buzz word; Oracle's Larry Elison (sp?) said it himself - they've been doing "cloud computing" for 30 years. Everything we're doing is cloud computing I guess... God I hate that term so much.

Cloud computing is when the computer in front of you isn't doing to work. Have you ever used a Wyse Terminal, or any other thin client? The piece of hardware in front of you is doing nothing more than sending keyboard and mouse input to a Server. Who in return sends monitor output. Is that Cloud Computing? Why wouldn't it be?

What about when you use a web app like Google Docs or DeviantART Muro? Nothing is happening on the users computer.

They use the word "cloud" to refer to the Internet. Its used a little too loosely these days. KYA is right about Windows, Mac, and Linux having their own "cloud". But its not called a cloud. As I mentioned early, the word "cloud" is used to refer to the Internet, So yes and no to every computer having its own "cloud". Its the same technology, but used over WLAN instead of LAN. I haven't used Mac Remote Desktop but I have used Windows and Linux (Ubuntu) and Windows blows Linux out of the watter when it comes to Terminal Services.

Google Chrome OS is called "cloud" because it forces you to use webapps, so if you suddenly have your notebook destroyed, your files (the one you where working on if you where using Google Docs) are on the Google Servers. Your history, downloaded files, profile picture, and bookmarks (unless you set up Sync in Chrome, which you can do in Chrome on any OS) are all stored locally and will be lost.

Also to add the the INTERNET is a cloud definition. All that it means is that you don't care about exectely how you get there you just know where you going not really the the way. Go look at a network diagram.

Now on the topic of linux "cloud" see attached file the application Virtual Machine Manger is NOT running on my pc. Also note unlike termianl services it integrated with my window manger rather than the windows route of showing the entire desktop that why I like it better.

And before more people say we have no idea what we are talkign about or wikipedia is GOD.

I am studding and will get my first level cisco cert soon. And above me Buoysel has a A+ cert. So we do have some clue.

Congrats on the A+ by the way. Buoysel(also check out http://elance.com for some good paying freelance work Certs will help get jobs)

1 attached image

I'm not a huge fan of the cloud.

There are times where all I want to do is type something up, watch a video file, or play a game offline, and if Comcast decides to go out that day/hour I can't do that since there is no local storage.

I can see the practical application of it being used for backup of important files. But I would feel safer with having my important files away from the prying eyes of the internet, just in case.

Because Google Chrome OS and VR's server are totally the same thing...