Fighting in the sky, Cloud computing vs Local

The idea of "Cloud" computing isn't a new one. I remember being a network tech student in college almost 20 years ago, working with Novell.

Back then, Novell was the big man on campus. Windows was just entering 3.1/11 and was considered a handy little client.

The terminology back then was centered on LAN ( Local Area Network, which refers to a network in one location or building for example) and WAN (Wide Area Network, which refers to a network which spans several buildings or locations across a distance.) and intranets were the big thing. The internet was still a place for research and sales. Oh, and porn.

With that in mind though, Novell was working on "cloud" computing in the WAN. Know where "Active Directory" comes from? Novell was working on the way before MS got ahold of it. That is where "cloud" computing really began it's journey.

The idea isn't unique to Novell either, they were just one of the first to really "push" the concept in a commercial distribution.

Back then though, the focus was on network services. Shared directories, remote login and user directories.

Today, the push for cloud computing has moved beyond basic, behind the scenes services. Those have largely been mastered. The focus in the cloud now is for end user services and apps.

Word processors and all sorts of document creation. Multimedia access and creation. Communication and access. Everyone wants to offer it on the web. no need for anything more than a basic OS and a web browser at home if they have their way.

All of these things are great, even "cool". It can make access to docs and files incredibly easy and can increase productivity dramatically. Very exciting really.

However. There are"costs'. Where you gain in access and productivity, you lose privacy and local control. You must obey others policies and how to access files and what formats you use. The governments are rapidly reaching out more and more to have access to everything you do. They want to see your email, your text docs, your pictures. "Just in case" you might be breaking a law. To be sure, Big Brother IS watching.

So how does the Open Source "movement" fit into this? One would think it's a perfect match. open access and freedom to do what you want, when you want to do it. An ideal match, right?

There are "other" freedoms associated with the Open Source movement that don't mesh quite as well. For example, The ability to control your resources yourself. Sorry, in the commercial "cloud" you do what they want, using their formats and their IP. Say "Sayonara" to access to the base.

Open Source is also about being able to "it" ( whatever "it" is) yourself. Maintaining control over your systems and produced works in house and not being beholden to another. This applies to what file formats you use, what and how you report information to the government. to protect your information from snoops and unwanted crackers on yor terms, using the tools and protocols you choose.

The "cloud" would potentially make all of that accessible to anyone on the web. Sure, they will say their servers are protected and your data is "safe". But for a paranoid like me, who still sees reports of banks and credit card companies "losing" customer data in this day and age of 'secure" internet, I don't feel so comforted yet in that idea.

Could that happen to my own servers? absolutely. but, the target is reduced, my small "vault" is less appealing to those seeking treasure and thrills in breaking Ft Knox. Therefore, the "odds" that my data will be compromised on a Local network/server, are much lower than a commercial provider with loads of "gold' to be hunted down.

Also, if the government wants access to my data, they have to come ask me. With a warrant, thank you very much. In the cloud, the government has deals and provisions to ask them for any data on the commercial providers servers. They may easily get access to your data without even talking to you.

Maybe I'm just paranoid. Maybe I should just "trust" the government and the huge corporations with my businesses and personal data and information. After all, isn't the saying that if I do nothing wrong, I have nothing to hide?

Or maybe, just maybe, huge corporations have hidden agendas and corrupt employees sometimes, maybe the governments of the world have no corruption or underground agendas. Those things NEVER happen.

Right?