It is unfortunate to see one of our competitors hit the dust. Coghead was one of our more recent competitors.

My firm launched the web’s first database-in-the-cloud in 1999 and nearly 10 years later, we’re still going strong. This is a time to reflect on how companies survive and how other don’t. I believe the reason my company survived the dot-com bubble burst, and the current economic malaise is that we always took a very conservative approach to running the business. We never took venture funding which would have reduced our control to run the business. We didn’t hire a lot of staff, or try to expand too quickly by depending on future revenue. We only spent what we had. That means today, we’re a thriving concern. If anything, the economic downturn has provided better business rather than less.

Some great input here, thanks so much for taking your valuable time. As Sue says, “case by case” is the best way to proceed. Cloudy or not, utility is what we all need.

I am not against cloud computing, it is just that the hype over the last 3 years has taken people into some kind of Twilight Zone of reality. Sue put it best……if you are a business, make sure the app you use gives you everything.

As for the marketing aspects, a richer advertising model is needed obviously. I think that someone needs to make something so powerful that people don’t mind downloading it, and that there are already set ways to monetize it and use it for making money on the business end.

Perhaps a sponsored app would work? Any ways, thanks for putting your two cents in guys, and more ideas?

Always,
Phil

If new apps arrive that are classed as cloud based and they improve on what I use already I will use them. I imagine I will also be using apps in the future that I did not realize I had a need for until they turned up.

Because of the vast range of applications classed as cloud based (from social networking to online storage to online software applications that completely replace your traditional desktop programs) it does not seem possible to make generalized statements about the concept of cloud computing. There are so many factors involved, depending on who is using the apps and for what reason. I will continue to assess applications on a case by case basis as always.

I look at this issue through the eyes of a business professional and educator, and this means I follow in the wake of the majority of the innovative technical ideas that appear in the Web 2.0 space and then try and ‘make sense’ of them in retrospect. i.e “what does this thing I see really mean for me?”

In marketing parlance you might regard me as an early adopter. It also means I’m more interested in what something ‘does’ rather than what it ‘is’. Don’t describe the raft of features, explain the benefits to me in plain-speak!

What might seem obviously useful and interesting to the application creator isn’t always that transparent to others. Like any innovative process the application might take a social form that the originator didn’t expect too.

This article and conversation has begun to make things clearer for me! The fact is any application is a solution to a perceived or actual ‘problem’. Any designs involve trade-offs too.

So as I read the above I ponder…what precisely is the problem that the application is attempting to solve? (simple secure collaboration?) who precisely has the need for the solution? (people with information they’d like to share…but not with just anyone) what are the critical choice factors they have (not the app designers choice factors note!) e.g. I don’t care if it seems like a desktop app. What are suitable and acceptable (to target users) compromises from the ‘philosophical ideal). Does the application deliver ‘value’ in user/consumer terms?

Whilst the content of the conversation is about ‘technology’ the meaning of the conversation is based on assumptions about ‘social’ interchange. It is somebody’s often un-declared assumptions about the social nature of The Cloud that determines their position towards the applications their use.

It’s not called ‘social’ media and ‘social’ networking for nothing, and because this means its about people, it needs to recognised that people will have differing needs and differing values.

We’ll git ‘er done!

Thanks K,
Phil

In conjunction with things that the cloud is great at….super refined computing from the desktop can be immensely powerful, and many cloud applications can effectively be rendered useless. It is a fact actually. Think of a cell phone 20 years ago compared to the ones now. Better yet, think of the power of 100 million really nice quad core units doing things collectively. No one will need to have massive server bills huh? Cloud businesses can save their clients money by engaging elements on the desktops at offices and homes. Interesting conversation any way, but anyone with half a brain understands that full bore business class computing in the cloud is a misty eyed dream of the future, someone’s future reality any way.

Always,
Phil