Why does everything involve a cloud nowadays? iCloud, Office 365, Xbox Cloud, Windows Cloud, Cloud Gaming, also, everything is a subscription: Hulu Plus, Xbox Live, iTunes Match, Netflix, More iCloud storage, Data plans, Newstand app... Can't you just buy anything anymore and just own it?
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Why the hell?
- Thread starter Jimmy Guphanti
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You forgot "buzz-word compliance".
Personally, I can't wait for the post-cloud world, when we can mock all the "cloudies" who helped bring on the cloudpocalypse.
Everything Cloud, Cloud Everything is now.
Previously, it was iEverything.
Way Previously it was eEverything
Hell, some are combined, like iCloud.
Previously, it was iEverything.
Way Previously it was eEverything
Hell, some are combined, like iCloud.
What does "paying once" have to do with "cloud services"? Seems like you're railing against the injustice of subscriptions, which have been around for centuries.
For non-techie users, which are in the majority, cloud services make sense because they don't have to have devices with hard drives and storage to complicate things. They also provide an easy backup and no matter what device you use or what devices you buy in the future you'll still be able to get your data. I don't see the issue myself.
The cloud would be great if it wasn't so fragmented. Xbox cloud services don't work on mac, iCloud doesn't support Windows Phone. Amazon cloud, google cloud.. there are just too many of them. If I didn't have to manage 50 million cloud accounts, I would understand its purpose.
Now, you are forced to buy into a specific ecosystem (iDevices, Google, Microsoft, Amazon).
The thing that I worry about is "ownership." If I buy a movie from one service (iTunes for example), it is linked to my apple ID. I become locked into the deals that Apple makes with Movie studios. I can't just sell my movie to a friend if I don't want it anymore. I can only watch it on iDevices. I can't get most movies in HD on a PC when they are available on the iPad and AppleTV.
If I end up wanting to switch to a Microsoft Ecosystem (Zune, Windows Phone, Xbox), I will have to buy all of my stuff all over again.
You end up paying the same price for these goods, but you lose a lot of "ownership."
My ideal cloud would allow me to share files cross platform, sync contacts and calendars across ANY device, and ultimately let me do what I want with the items I own. Of course, this will never happen because of the fierce competition across tech companies today.
Now, you are forced to buy into a specific ecosystem (iDevices, Google, Microsoft, Amazon).
The thing that I worry about is "ownership." If I buy a movie from one service (iTunes for example), it is linked to my apple ID. I become locked into the deals that Apple makes with Movie studios. I can't just sell my movie to a friend if I don't want it anymore. I can only watch it on iDevices. I can't get most movies in HD on a PC when they are available on the iPad and AppleTV.
If I end up wanting to switch to a Microsoft Ecosystem (Zune, Windows Phone, Xbox), I will have to buy all of my stuff all over again.
You end up paying the same price for these goods, but you lose a lot of "ownership."
My ideal cloud would allow me to share files cross platform, sync contacts and calendars across ANY device, and ultimately let me do what I want with the items I own. Of course, this will never happen because of the fierce competition across tech companies today.
I think one day, you'll be in control of your own sever with your own information on it, and you just download plug ins that allow you to load and play Amazon or iTunes files on your Microsoft device, and vica-versa. You can start to see the very beginnings of this with Windows Home Server and the Mac Mini Server.
Unfortunately, with that comes IT problems, so I don't see this gaining grounds in the traditional way; Rather, I see a day where you buy a box from your preferred service provider, and you pay a monthly fee for someone to keep it going in a data center, but you own it.
I for one welcome the IT overloards.
Partly marketing, partly the ability to you charge subscriptions or ongoing fees for some companies.
Look at where office, adobe, backups have gone - to the cloud. Right now its a popular buzzword, but the intent for many is to set up a new revenue stream
Look at where office, adobe, backups have gone - to the cloud. Right now its a popular buzzword, but the intent for many is to set up a new revenue stream