Resource Review #8 Battle of the Clouds

"Battle of the Clouds". Economist 392.8653 (17 Oct 2009): 16.

This article explores cloud computing within the frame of its technological history and future. It points out that cloud computing could easily follow the traditional path of new technological advances, that of big firms battling over who can make the most money off of it. However, cloud computing in some ways inherently supports the little guy. Since the cloud can act like a utility in that you pay for what you use, owning a bunch of servers is no longer a prerequisite to starting a computer business. It would seem like this would help create competition and prevent monopolies from forming, but the history of computing tends to show otherwise.

The article pinpoints "technological lock-in" as a sign that the battle of the clouds has begun. This term, which describes companies who develop standards and formats for their own systems that cannot communicate with any others, reminded me of Wheeler and Waggener's article about cloud computing for universities. Both articles discuss the need for an open cloud to maximize benefit. Since the cloud is a Web 2.0 technology that centers around sharing and networking, it seems ironic to me that companies are trying to reduce the amount of sharing that can be done. Based on Tim O'Reilly's theory, it seems like the more a company participates in web sharing, the more successful they should be. The article casts doubt on the claim that one company will end up dominating the cloud, but does not seem to refute the idea that the current major computing companies will eventually control the cloud. Given the short and transient nature of companies in the computer field thus far, it is impossible to predict what will happen in therms of computer company dominance. The article plays its predictions safely by only naming companies in the current struggle and keeping future descriptions vague.

The article touches on cloud search history and its potential effect on companies. Though information agencies are not specifically mentioned, this aspect of cloud computing may well be one of the biggest hurdles for libraries who want to use the cloud. Search history in the cloud can be stored forever, and since libraries (or other institutions) would not have direct control over it, it would be easy for the cloud company to view it without the library's knowledge or to use it for their own data-gathering. The article points out that making cloud systems reliable should currently be a top priority for companies that want to attract customers. I wholeheartedly agree, and would add trustworthy to that statement as well. I think librarians concerned about privacy and censorship would be at least as concerned about trust in the cloud as they are about cloud reliability.