Cloud Computing

depends if you want a PC or a terminal doesn't it? PC stands for personal computer, if the only thing one of these new notebook style thingies can do is understand HTML from a remote source, then it should be renamed "personal browser " or something, I'm sure better names than that have already been suggested. I'd hate someone else to have the hard copy of my email though, what about legal documents or other important documents, then some spazz over at the mainframe has a data loss as happened actually at Gmail quite recently actually ( so thank goodness I download it via thunderbird moreover that I have that option!)

I suppose you split it X boxes with their massive processors for games , browsers for your net, but then a decent PC will do all that and it's only one space taken up in the house, but then I'm a programmer, I'm biassed, becauase I'm sure when I get one of these new minimalist jobs I'll be able to get less out of it without having to phone mr big and ask him for permission to alter some of his code his side !

So is anyone here using a cloud service for anything trading related ?

I see that amazon web services are offering 12 months of free service (up to 750 hours a month) on their Linux/Unix Micro instance usage to new users. This looks like a cheap way of learning about cloud/vps services if you are happy with using Linux.

Cloud Computing is analogue of public toilets and public baths from victorian era.

Good choice for dirty open source pennyless communists.

Loved the analogy. I really can't imagine whey any sane, intelligent individual (or company for that matter!) would risk depositing their data of any kind in The Cloud.

And before anyone says they only put their media files out there you'll excuse my cynicism in believing owners and operators of Cloud based facilities (even discounting the hackers thereof) have access to far more than you probably want them to or that they claim to have access to. If the facility to up/down load to/from The Cloud is enabled, regardless of any apparent safeguard you believe is in place to limit the type and location of data accessible, you have effectively opened the door to security breach of your data, and the device(s) upon which that data resides.

Even the increasingly popular googlemail sync with contacts and emails has enormous implications for access violation and unauthorised data utilisation. And even if it was ‘just’ your contacts and ‘just’ your calendar – do you have any idea just how useful that data is and just how easily it could be used against you?

If the intelligent and technologically savvy users needs to keep their wits about them to avoid the often default ‘let us look at everything, it’s ok’ options when installing and utilising new applications, the generally uninformed and clueless mass of humanity that feels The Cloud is a ‘good thin’g will likely be a virtual open book for all who care to read him.

Maybe it presents security in another way?

There will be so much data available, finding anything specific of any use will be very difficult?

If your data is confidential encrypt it and provide the key through your SSH session when you start the instance and application(s). In principle the system admins could examine your instance's virtual memory contents to get your data in clear text form - but realistically I expect they have other tasks that fill their time.

yes. in public bath you can also pretend to have privacy if you bathe wearing veil.

Think of your computer as being just a terminal tied into the mainframe. Without the mainframe the terminal cannot function. The mainframe stores all apps, files, directories, etc and doles out processor time to each terminal.

Peter