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Find out more about Howard: Howard Flomberg has both a B.S. in Management Science and an M.S. in Computer Science/ Information Systems. He had a career in Information Systems that spanned over 30 years. He has taught courses in both the Computer Information Systems and Management Decision Theory since 1978, and authored two books for these courses. His Management Decision Theory, Managing Pragmatically is going into its second edition. |
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Simplicity! Elegance! An environment where a user can function by paying attention to the problem, not the technical details of the solution. We seem to have gotten our paths crossed. We reward complexity and dismiss simplicity. The "cloud" is an attempt to move us back in that direction.
Google has done it right! Their model has the basic business applications in the cloud. The user community shares access to these tools. Currently, Microsoft sells its "Small Business Edition" of Office for about $450.00. Their biggest and best version of Office is nearly $700.00. So, you have an office of eight to ten people, you do the math!
By moving the application software and databases to their multi gazilion-byte servers you can concentrate on the product. Security - What about security? Off the shelf security has the CIA angered - they can't crack it.
Cloud Computing or more accurately, Virtualization, is not a new concept - I've been reading about software utility companies for decades, but the idea was there before the technology was there.
What will this mean to us? Cheaper, dumber computers that are primarily links to the Web. We may be approaching Jim Kirk's running dialog with the nebulous computer voice.