Despite the volumes written about cloud computing over the last couple of years, a ubiquituous topic is still defining and explaining the concept. The absence of an agreed upon definition is seen by some as a problem and an indication to not believe the hype. In late 2008 Andy Isherwood, VP of software services at HP in Europe, expressed his sceticism:
“A lot of people are jumping on the bandwagon of cloud, but I have not heard two people say the same thing about it”
Another known cloud critic is Larry Ellison (though he seems to have re-evaluated his opinion), who also uses the lack of a strict definition as an argument why there cannot be any substance in cloud computing.
“We’ve redefined ‘cloud computing’ to include everything we currently do. So it has already achieved dominance in the industry. I can’t think of anything that isn’t cloud computing. [...]
Then there is a definition: What is cloud computing? It is using a computer that is out there. That is one of the definitions: ‘That is out there.’ These people who are writing this crap are out there.”
However, as Simon Wardley illustrated at the OSCON ’09 conference, a phenomenon does not require a consensus definition in order to have great impact. There is still no definition of the Industrial revolution, despite the centuries that has passed and its indisputable importance. [Read full post]
