Google Chrome OS Smartbooks to Hit this Month?

[johnnyupgrade]

While I still prefer to store my data on hard drives, I do believe there are some benefits to cloud computing.

1. Hard drives do fail and cloud computing provides a secure method of storing data.

2. Accessibility! I use GoogleDocs and OfficeLive to edit spreads and docs from any computer, anywhere. All you need is any computer and an internet connection.

 

[kelemvor4]

[citation][nom]bobusboy[/nom]"Do you trust the cloud?"no.I'll take my local HDD, with my OS and data on my person. I'm not interested in storing all my stuff in someone elses house and then needing their permission to access it.[/citation]
Remember, if your data is stored at your house, you're protected by your civil rights. If it's stored at google's datacenter you are not.

Now, I'm not saying I've got anything special to hide, but that doesn't mean I'm going to voluntarily give up my rights either.

 

[Prince_Porter]

"How often has anyone ever had an HDD fail?" I have. I foolishly didn't back up most of my files as well. As a self-employed game developer, it sucked hardcore. Lost an entire project at the time. I now have a server for my websites, and just back up my files there every few weeks, but I have indeed had a hard drive just drop dead over night.

 

[dertechie]

"Do you trust the cloud?"

Yes. After I apply strong encryption to what I store there.

 

[Vermil]

This is so what Google is all about. You are not Googles customers. But someone else is. As have been the case since the start of Google. And it pains me that people are enthusiastic about this. Where's the problem? Well, the future of IT and computing is driven into directions which are not in our interest. That's the problem.
Cloud computing is not in our interests. Distributed computing, distributed storage and power is in our interest. For someone else to hold everything, making you a client, is in someone else's interest.

I'm well aware that most of you have no memories from the age when computing really was not in the user's own hands. And that's a pity. Everything we have gained, through the PC revolution, we have gained because *everybody* participated in getting a PC and thus created a mass market.