Cloud Computing or Not

[n4uau]

Lots of buzz about cloud computing these days and I'm planning to give a class on it to Seniors in my iPad class. So help me understand this.

I believe Pages, Numbers and Keynote are true cloud computing because I can access and work on the file either on my iPad or my PC.

iPhotos on the other hand is not really cloud computing. It is not accessible from my PC to make alterations to the photos like I can with those other programs/apps. Sure I can store photos on the cloud but it is really no better than storing photos on Amazon Photo Cloud or DropBox from Camera Roll.

So iPhotos is really a machine based app with the ability to store on the cloud. Pages, Numbers and Keynote are true cloud computing apps.

Right?

 

[twerppoet]

The problem is that 'cloud computing' does not have a hard definition. It simply refers to using online resources to replace local resources; usually shared and easily switched out online sources.

So, in that sense the iWorks apps are somewhat more 'cloud computing' than iPhotos; if only in that they can access/share the same resource; where iPhotos only uses an online resource to save/store photos. (that is likely to change come spring when Apple introduces it's new Photos app).

On the other hand Google Docs is much closer to 'cloud computing'. Not only are the documents stored in the cloud, but the apps themselves are mostly in the cloud (at least the web versions. The iWorks are also in the category, do some extent, with their new web side versions at icloud.com.

What I'm trying to say is that 'cloud computing' isn't a yes/no thing. It tends to come in degrees; with Google Docs towards one end, iWorks kind of in the middle, and iPhoto at the trailing edge.

 

[n4uau]

Thanks, that was my impression! Glad to have it confirmed. It's kind of like in my course when I define "what is a tablet" - no real hard definition so I make up my own. Cool to be on the leading edge of this new technology. 50 years ago when I first programmed IBM System 360s that was cutting edge. What a difference today!

For now I'll consider Google Search or SIRI the most sophisticated cloud computing I do. Both are totally based on remote machines and the iPad is a glorified dumb terminal to access them.

 

[twerppoet]

You are welcome.

And yes, Siri is about as cloud computing as it gets.