Linux Community Magazine

Cloud computing is not only the latest buzz word, it is well possible model of computing, also the 21st century. However, it is easy to forget even a relatively new approach is personal computing in which each user has a stand-alone system that can operate network.

The first practical computer from huge Giants consisting of clicking relays and vacuum tubes. Much of that early development of this multimedia mark had Monster efforts been spurred on by the Allied code breaking during the second WELTKRIEGS. For the first thirty years of history of the general purpose computer was the exclusive privilege of computer time, large institutions and Governments.

One of the first breakthroughs in lower costs for computer access was the concept of a time-sharing system. In such a system, multiple operators can access resources on the computer through the use of remote terminals. Here, in the form of early teletype terminals, and later, video terminals we see the emergence of a network topology where computing horsepower in a central computer of the user is located.

It was the epoch of the mainframe and the dumb terminal. Usually ability would be missing these dumb terminals storage or calculation, as they were simply a display with a keyboard. From the 1970s (usually issued, wearing shorts when books I've seen are correct), an operator shielded terminal would sit before a yellow or green grateful that he no longer needed to wait in line to hand in a box carefully arranged punch cards.

Fast forward to the late 70's and a new paradigm was beginning to win. If you, the Pirates of Silicon film seen Valley, a dramatization of the early years of Apple computers, you can remember a scene in which the young Steve Wozniak is forced to show his prototype PC to his employer, Hewlett Packard. In the scene that I about Steve speak fears that his idea he takes his bosses. The Exchange goes something like:

HP exec
Steve it is Steve isn't it?

Steve Wozniak
(NODS)

HP exec
Steve, you say that this... Gadget... you is for ordinary people. What would want on Earth the ordinary people with computers?

(long pause)

The idea is to the debate has been was a personal computer, i.e. a stand-alone computers on which an electrical power supply needs to function. Singular to computers that do not need a larger computers are connected to run went on the popular face of computing for the rest of the twentieth century to be.

Since its inception, suffered a minor the personal computer, organized attack by companies, which had begun calling Terminal thin clients. These companies such as Oracle and Sun, met limited success in the course of the 1990s. However, sometimes a good technological idea comes, but suffers, because it arrived at the wrong time. Consider, for example, Apple's first attempt at a hand held the ARM powered computer, Newton equipped touch screen. People blame Apple simply existing ideas in the form of the iPad repackaging, but were kept pioneers in hand computing 15 years ago.

The latest incarnation of the general idea of separation of memory and computing power of the user's access point is called cloud computing. Cloud computing probably to a certain extent will be successful because it benefits there are natural power of the most powerful but mundane: evolution. The computing environment has changed and people have decided that want computing has to offer cloud you. What's more, you are ready, some of the benefits of true giving up personal computers to get it. It will take a while, but already, people are starting to realize the benefits of cloud style solution like Google mail and Google Docs.

So take my advice: in a few years when a young, hip child tells you about the new idea in computing, self catering computers with local memory and computing power have, try, surprised look.

Writer Michael Reed free http://www.unmusic.co.uk/ technology, retro computing, geek culture and gender politics writes headquartered in the UK. His byline has appeared in several technology publications.

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