Cloud Computing Is Like Obscenity

The March 27-29 weekend dustup over The Open Cloud Manifesto (always spelled with upper case O, C and M) reminds us again that leading information technology (IT) suppliers such as AT&T (T), Cisco (CSCO), EMC (EMC), IBM (IBM), Novell (NVLL) and Red Hat (RHAT) think they can easily manipulate the IT user. 

This whole thing seems to have been timed to a NYC trade show about cloud computing (which, interestingly, apparently could not be attended via the cloud). It tells you something that the Cloud Computing Expo runs simultaeously in the same hall with the same keynote speakers as an event called the Virtualization Expo.  Didn't like one buzzword, try another.

The controversey also reminds us that IT users didn't just "fall off the turnip truck."  The Manifesto says on the first page:

"In order to understand the core principles of an open cloud, we need to first agree on some basic definitions and concepts of cloud computing itself. First, what is “the cloud”? ... While definitions, taxonomies and architectures are interesting, it is more important to understand the value propositions for cloud computing."

In other words, The Manifesto authors could not even agree on a definition of cloud computing. But just as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stewart Potter famously said of obscenity, "I know it when I see it," IT users know cloud computing is simply utility computing. 

 

IT users think that's a good thing by the way.  It's just not worth writing a manifesto over 45 years after the concept was developed.

 

-- Dennis Byron