Do the Words ‘Cloud Computing’ Reflect Negatively on the Industry?
Cloud Computing is a term that is buzz worthy in tech circles. The term can be quite ambiguous to those who aren’t tech savvy. When we talk about things being cloudy, foggy or hazy, the general reaction to the topic at hand is typically negative. Could a negative connotation of the term “Cloud Computing” be holding back the industry? Industry analysts tend to think that this is possible.
The way companies market themselves as a cloud service tends to not help the industry at all. One example is SalesForce.com. SalesForce prides itself on SaaS and delivering applications in the cloud. To an outsider, a term like SaaS may require a Google search in order for the person to know what is being discussed. Software as a Service can then be confused as being the cloud in it of itself. If you are a novice, it can be easy to see how these terms can get used interchangeably. Decision makers in small to medium sized businesses may not always have a technical background so if you were trying to sell Software as a Service to them, it may be best to tell the user that you are basically letting a company like SalesForce manage the delivery of the application while the business only pays for the actual use of the application. Think about a utilities company. When you are plugged into their grid, you can use as much power as you’d like and at the end of the month, you are charged for your usage. This is essentially the basis of “Cloud Computing.”
The confusion around the term “Cloud Computing” is confirmed in a recent survey conducted by Citrix. Citrix polled 1,000 adults in the USA using a research firm called Wakeman Research. The findings suggested that 51% of those polled believed that inclement weather had an effect on cloud computing. Reports like these suggest that Cloud Computing may have won over the hearts of tech geeks but the industry has some work to do on the PR side of things.
