Steve Wozniak Cloud Computing Opinions
A Clouded Perspective from a Brilliant Innovator…
I have been a software engineer for over thirty years. So has Steve Wozniak, and it’s just one of the reasons I like him. Steve Jobs may have been the designer, the dreamer, the man with the plan, but when it came time to put the rubber to the road it was ‘The Woz’ who made it work. In a recent interview Steve Wozniak offered some insights into cloud computing that might be interpreted as a bit ‘cautious’. Let’s take a look at some of the Steve Wozniak cloud computing opinions and concerns and see if they are valid.
Data Security:
Steve Wozniak thinks that he will not ‘own’ his data if it is uploaded to a cloud. Furthermore, that there will be some type of mechanism that keeps him from his data, and by placing it on the cloud, it becomes part of the human consortium to be shared by all. Perhaps this is more in line with the future depicted by the movie “Equilibrium”, but in the real world, Steve still owns his data through embedded mechanisms that have been well thought out in the cloud. Its access is virtually transparent to the end user. A perfect example is the SkyDrive offering by Microsoft. In less than five minutes a user can have a virtual hard drive on a data center for use anywhere there is a computer. Access to data has never been easier or widespread. Through this cloud offering, data can be used anywhere.
In addition, encryption methods have blossomed in the past several years. Data centers have become a virtual Fort Knox and have finally made the turn when fending off the outside invader. Through the proper use of encryption, not only in transport, but also in storage, even if a data center is compromised the stolen data is useless.
Network Latency and Connectivity:
The internet is taking great steps to ensure that network traffic is dependable and fast. Through the implementation of new high end compression protocols, as well as redundant servers and load balancing, it is virtually impossible to overload the internet to the point where it is unusable. In addition, several bandwidth providers now offer fiber to the door. With the advent of this technology and its new protocols as well as the hardware dependability, there is no reason why anyone who uses the cloud for business or personal use need be apprehensive.
Development Platform and Cycle:
Many cloud providers offer a series of platforms and development tools that will ensure to the nth degree that any developer will have whatever is necessary to build their application. IaaS and PaaS offer clear and concise standards that will ensure an application’s longevity through ‘data elasticity’. Applications can quickly go from design to implementation through the use of technologies such as Windows Azure for Websites. This platform eliminates the need for backend worries and allows the programmer to focus on data throughput and application functionality. This alone is the key to cloud services and will prove to be the staple for web developers.
Closing out Steve Wozniak Cloud Computing Opinions, like all engineers, we see the what ifs in new technologies. It is the nature of the beast and I am guilty of it as well. Hopefully Steve Wozniak will embrace these new platforms and technologies and realize that he and Steve Jobs pioneered them. It is through their foresight that we can enjoy the cloud evolution.
