What's in a Cloud?

If you're paying attention in the technology workplace these days, you cannot help but encounter a lot of talk about Cloud Computing.  The term is not new, but its increased usage is a characteristic of the modern IT discussion.

So what do we mean by Cloud Computing? Let's take a look

A Magic Black Object

While I was growing up, I read a ton of work by the established Science Fiction greats. In fact, until just a very few years ago, the term Science Fiction meant to me, a book or a story written (on paper) by someone who actually had some education in a field of science.

So I was raised on (often) bright visions of the future in which the ingenuity and creativity of man had resulted in devices that seemed incredible, nearly magic.

In fact, it was Arthur C. Clarke, one of the undisputed giants in the field of SF, who said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." (Profiles of the Future, 1961)

Well today I hold in my hand an artifact that demonstrates the truth of Clarke's vision.  It is, by inspection, simply an inert black object. But when powered up and operating correctly, it is just the thing I've been waiting for.

Why Go Gowalla?

...get used to it folks. The next couple of years will be drenched from the flood of new social media viral wannabes.

Especially after Aaron Sorkin made everyone believe that just because you're a greedy, selfish, egotistical misogynist, it doesn't mean you can't still get filthy rich and surround yourself with adoring groupies. (See the movie, The Social Network when you have a chance.)

So we'll be seeing daily talk about the latest platform or game to emerge in Social Media. Which makes it entirely understandable to ask, "Why Gowalla instead of Foursquare?"

I don't know if there's a real answer, but here are some considerations:

The Death of the Wave

...I wrote earlier about how I thought that Google Wave would be a communication model of the future. Clearly now I will have to eat my words.  For that reason alone, perhaps this would be an entertaining article. (Also interesting, is to note that I was not alone in my enthusiasm for the emerging communication platform.)

Or you may be a bit curious about why I've taken so long to acknowledge something that is not particularly fresh news.

In either case, this is a good time to consider what happened to Wave and what we might learn from it.

Redefinition of Terms

I haven't quite known what to do with this blog lately, and so there hasn't been much to say.


After consideration, I find that I have these things to say:

• Purpose of this blog
• Who I think you are
• Why you would choose to stay tuned

How Music Gets in Your Life

I've never been one of those who embraced the iTunes store, the iPod, and the entire culture that sprung up around that.  I guess I suspected that the iTunes store was simply designed as a siphon that could be placed with one end in your bank account and then it would begin to drain while you enjoyed the music of your life.

The thing is, there have always been interesting alternatives.

One friend of mine ripped all of his CD collection into MP3 files and placed them on drives attached a single Linux server. This was long before Napster and before the RIAA launched its jihad on music lovers everywhere.

Talk about Telephones

...I can remember when telephones were interesting to talk about. (Because I've seen this in historical movies.) There was once a distinction between rotary and touch tone. (Oh yeah, Touch Tone(tm)!) There was once the distinction between princess and desk and multi-line and cordless and designer styling...

Then there were almost no "telephones" left.  When people in San Francisco encounter a pay phone, they take a picture in front of it to show their families.