Cloud computing.

[supermouse]

How long will it be before one buys a new computer, connects to the web, logs in and then everything on the computer configures itself? New browser reinstall, bookmarks, refresh rate, wallpaper, installed games, desktop icons, everything else?

Comments

[alexmc]

I'm missing something

[supermouse]

Thank you for explaining to me what cloud computing is and what Google Mail, Google Calendar and Delicious do. I personally use X-marks for bookmarks, but I do use Google Calendar and Google Mail. There is also X-drive, which is online storage. Here is a wikipedia article which explains what cloud computing is. It turns out that their explanation of cloud computing is the same as my understanding of the comment, but it was kind of you to explain it to me in case I had misunderstood the term. I am sorry if my choice of the title confused you.

[supermouse]

So why am I still having to bash my new machine into shape, and how long, do you reckon, before I just log in and vwoom, it's my computer there in front of me, with all my bells, whistles and little mousie animated pointers?

[swaldman]

My new phone (Palm Pre) is *supposed* to work like this. I *should* be able to smash it against a wall, get a replacement, show it a data connection, and watch all my stuff appear.

Unfortunately they failed at implementing it, but because they thought they had there is no way to do an actual backup....

[supermouse]

That's a shame. I think it will happen soon enough with laptops, where everything, including the OS, is online (possibly on hundreds of different servers) and you just log in and make yourself a cuppa while it Does Stuff. Having to individually configure computers, or manually import things from one OS-install to another seems hopelessly old fashioned to me now.

[swaldman]

I agree, but I'm in two minds as to whether I want it - because it is likely to represent a loss of control over my device and my data.

Nevertheless, that's the way things are going.

[fwuffydragon]

swaldman I agree with you.

It would be "convenient" to be able to have stuff done for me, but actually I sometimes change my mind about what I want (shock horror!) and like to retain that control. I tend to turn off most automated stuff, or at least make it TELL me when it's about to do something so I can decide whether I want it to.

If everything is online, it also means you HAVE to be connected to be able to do anything at all. I don't like this.

[azekeil]

It can be done today, with a bit of effort. Have a look at Ubuntu One to see the direction Ubuntu is going in..

I use things like Delicious on any computer as a much better alternative to local bookmarks, and I now stream my music from home instead of trying to carry it around on a personal device.

[supermouse]

I'm just wondering how long before it's standard, and all in one instead of the current bits and pieces.

[azekeil]

I'm not sure it will ever be 'standard'. PCs were modularised to make upgrading the CPU easy, but in practise the new CPUs need a new socket and therefore a new motherboard anyway. It'll be the same with OS. With Windows there has been a program to transfer your documents and settings for the last few windows versions, but just how reliable they are or what state they leave your PC in is up for debate, plus of course it won't necessarily work on the next version OS.

Certainly games and applications may not work as smoothly as you might wish, or there has been updates in the mean time for compatibility reasons, etc.

The best path forwards in this regards have been software repository systems, in my view. These allow adding/removing/upgrading of software almost automatically (barring unforeseen incompatibilities, etc). 3rd party software writers can publish their own repositories, to keep the end-user's life simple and easy, rather than Windows' current 'find it, download it, install it' mechanism.