Opportunity knocks

So another week gone and some more really good chats that are shaping the CloudFutures Europe conference for next March. One of the most interesting ones stressed that the cloud computing provider have a lot to learn about what their customers want.

This is true. Looking at the fate of Bungee is testament to this and reinforces what I said yesterday about the initial over excitement. But we are at the tipping point and as much as we see the giants of computing hardware, software and the Internet moving into the space there is huge market opportunity being created.

New cloud providers will spring up. Again and again I am being told that there is a space for a reliable cloud provider that offers more tailored service and customer care than the current players. Or will it be the case that companies who have built up relationships with the likes of IBM and HP will continue to use their new cloud computing services?

We won't be taking bets on this one...

Enough with the 'what is cloud computing'

Having been through several hype cycles with mobile technology in the past I have grown tired of the rush to define technology in a paragraph. The truth is there are fashions and trends and cloud computing is a trend.

Take broadband for an exmaple, the trend was that the connection got faster and no one now goes back to dial up is they can acess broadband. The same will be true of cloud computing, BUT it will take time.

Throughout history we have over estimated the impact that new technology will make in the short term and under estimated its long term effect. Cloud computing will completely redefine how people use computing, but the first steps are the hardest...

Rant over!