Re: [libreoffice-users] Re: Re: When will be a Web-Version of OOo/LO available?

On 12/17/2011 04:52 PM, Jay Lozier wrote:
> Michelle
>
> On 12/17/2011 04:11 AM, Michelle Konzack wrote:
> > Hello David S. Crampton,
> >
> > very well spoken!
> >
> > > Upon reflection, this calls for LO to build a community of support
> > > people that can support small to medium sized businesses and avoid
> > > the siren call of M$ style big money and big ego.  Good luck!  No,
> > > seriously, good luck to us all.
> > Thats right.  Clouds like Google, Amazon or Apple are NO SOLUTIONS!
> >
> > Clud computing should be on a "per customer" base done.
> > This is what I do with my (arround 200) customers
> >
> > Based on my new ARM-Based Blade Servers, the system is VERY scalable and
> > inexpensive.  It is even cheaper as todays Root Servers at random ISP.
> >
> > Thanks, Greetings and nice Day/Evening
> >      Michelle Konzack
> It sounds that you are using "cloud" concepts to set up smaller 
> networks for small clients. In the US, the "cloud" is often understood 
> to mean using PC's as dumb terminals to access the server (mainframe) 
> for both data and applications. There are numerous problems with this 
> model such as who actually owns the data, legal implications due to 
> the physical location of the servers, connection speed requirements to 
> be effective.
>
> Another issue with the cloud that has been overlooked often is that a 
> pure cloud implementation leaves users vulnerable to the whims of the 
> centralized computing resources. If the resources are not available 
> will users be able to add needed functionality or are they at the 
> mercy of the centralized resource. For example, I need to convert 
> video file formats occasionally, on my PC I can install the needed 
> application easily but if I using a cloud type environment I am 
> limited to what is provided either deliberately or by contract.
>
> I remember the days of dumb terminals and mainframes and remember that 
> many problems that were solved by PC's.
I have the same issues.  I came from mainframe programming.  I hated the 
fact that my data could be removed from their storage locations by 
others.  I had several months of work erased on the whim of a "person" 
who did not like me.  The thought it was funny, but he was not laughing 
after the person in charge of the computer center got through with him.  
I had to replace all the software and other files from hard copies.  
There was not backup system back them.  SO, if someone decided to remove 
your data from the system, all they need is IT access to the drive where 
it is stored.  This could happen by accident, or on purpose.  But it 
could happen.  Where would you be then?

Too many people act like "the cloud" is the best thing since sliced 
bread.  They feel that since it is in a data center, their files are 
secure, and will be backed up every time they make changes to them.  
They rely on "the cloud" to have what they need when they need it.  But 
it never really works that way.  When the storms went through the east 
coast of the USA a few months back, it your data center was in an area 
hit bad, they could have been flooded out or at least lost power or had 
communication issues.  Then your files would have lost or not accessible 
for some time.  So "the cloud" it not great.  Also, as far as I have 
read, if the US government wants to look at your private files on US 
servers, it is so much easier than if it was on a computer in your home 
or business.  It is even easier if a European government wanted to look 
at those same files on a server system in their jurisdiction.  SO, 
privacy is also an issue.

Sure, the cloud concept is a good one for certain markets, but it is not 
the best solution as the advertisements try to convince you about their 
services.

Then for the mobile devices there is the use of their data plan's fees 
to "allow" you to access your data.  You can really start building up 
what you owe to the phone companies working with your "cloud" data, even 
if you have a so-called unlimited plan.  We never hear of how much it 
costs to use the cloud with your mobile devices, not all of the costs 
anyway.

I am not an expert on this subject.  I just know what I have read and my 
experience with centralized computer systems.  Centralized systems is 
where I learned programming for.  If you were a part of that industry, 
with all its failings, you would not thing the movement back to such a 
system was a good idea.  People need to be told both the good and the 
bad of such services.  You need to keep the bad in mind when you make 
the commitments to use that type of service.  Then you would make sure 
that your files would be as safe as they can be, and keep an offline 
copy of these files "just in case".

example of "hidden" costs:
I remember an ad about unlimited online, automatic, backups of the data 
on your computer.  They quoted under $100 per year.  They did not have a 
app for my Linux desktop, so I started looking into finding such a 
service.  Then it hit me, my data vs. my upload bandwidth.  My 3-TB of 
data would take a year or so just to upload it to a online backup 
server.  They never talked about the fact that you would never really be 
able to use their service as advertised with the current state of the 
USA market for broadband upload speeds.  I could buy 10 times the 
external drives I would need as rotating backups for the price of the 
service I would need to get the uploading bandwidth I needed to use an 
online backup service.

So, with that thought, I ask you to look into all the costs of cloud 
services, money type and other.  Then, and only then, should you decide 
if cloud based services are the best route for you and your needs.  This 
is even more so if you involve your business and its data.  You need to 
think it through completely.






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