natowelch

Put me on the record now as not trusting of Microsoft, Apple, or Google.

Doug Rushkoff has a rather convoluted way of saying people are worked up over nothing when worrying about the implications of cloud computing, and of Google's new Chrome OS, just announced yesterday.

Being a long-time resistor of the idea of letting a for-profit enterprise take care of my data and software, I was a little surprised to hear this argument coming from a well-known proponent of openness. I was even a little crushed, perhaps. But then, after some analysis, it turns out he wasn't really talking about me.

While there have been "cloud computing" efforts before, they always ran up against people's (false) notions of computer privacy, virus contagion, and fear of dependence.

Rushkoff is one of those people that can actually make me reconsider and scrutinize my ideas. Were my notions of privacy, independence, and security, really "false"? I scoffed at first, but I decided to at least give Doug the benefit of the doubt, and listen to his argument.

( Unto the knot )

When I took my trip to Portland in January, I used FreeNX connect from PCs of friends to my desktop at home, and used all the same desktop applications I usually do.

But just because my use of the software was limited by the availability of Internet connectivity (although that is certainly an important drawback) doesn't mean it's fit to lump in with the things I don't like about "cloud computing".

Technically, one could argue that, while I was away, my desktop was "in the cloud". But the point has never been where my computing resources were - it was whether I had control over them. Whether "in the cloud", or not, my desktop PC is still //mine//. Google's data center isn't.

My dedicated web server in Montreal occupies the closest you'll come to a grey area. I rent the hardware, but I have effectively complete control over any software that goes on it. If I don't like the policies of any software provider, I don't have to install their output.

Google can't plead the fifth for you.

What the hell is so wrong with MY PC that makes all these software developers want to take all my code and data and put it on someone else's website!?

Oh, wait, I get it. The problem is that it's MINE. As in, not theirs. Ergo, they can't "monetize" what's mine. So you see Apple trying to claim your iPhone is actually theirs, Microsoft saying your PC is actually theirs, Google saying your email is actually theirs, and Facebook saying your friends are actually theirs, and copyright cartels saying all your music and movies are actually theirs.

The problem "cloud computing" is trying to solve isn't anything users want so much as that computer software, hardware, and network engineering companies can't profit enough from user privacy and autonomy. Golly, that's a real problem! MAYBE I DON'T CARE.

Corporate America: because if you want something done right, we have to do it for you!

I swear, every damn time I see something wrong with this world, there's a fucking rich asshole trying to obstruct the solution.

FUCK YOU.

/rant