It's 2020: Are you living in the Cloud?

Technology experts and stakeholders say they expect they will ‘live mostly in the cloud’ in 2020 and not on the desktop, working mostly through cyberspace-based applications accessed through networked devices. This will substantially advance mobile connectivity through smartphones and other internet appliances. Many say there will be a cloud-desktop hybrid. Still, cloud computing has many difficult hurdles to overcome, including concerns tied to the availability of broadband spectrum, the ability of diverse systems to work together, security, privacy, and quality of service.

Do you see yourself living in the clouds?

You can read the full Pew Internet report here: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/The-future-of-cloud-computing.aspx

Unsystematic Engineering

Through the years I've often participated on panels convened to study some particular problem, usually at the behest of the government. Typically, these concern some program, project, or issue that involves engineering and science, and one that is not seen to be doing as well as was desired or anticipated. The panel, composed of scientists and engineers, gets numerous briefings from people directly involved and from outside experts. Finally, a report is prepared with recommendations about how to fix the trouble.

In my own experience, these final reports almost always contain at least one of the following three recommendations:

1. Provide more money.

2. Put someone in charge.

3. Do some systems engineering.

Such reports are invariably received courteously by the ­panel's sponsors, but often with muted enthusiasm. I can see the wheels turning behind their eyes. "We knew this stuff," they are thinking. "You people are supposed to give us a technical solution, not tell us how to manage this. You're engineers, not management experts."

Each time I have the feeling that the study's sponsors believe or hope that there is some great new technology that will fix whatever the problem is, but that never seems to be the case. Almost always those involved with the problem are already perfectly aware of every applicable technology. Things run astray when their efforts are poorly coordinated, responsibility is diffuse, and management oversight and systems engineering or architecture at the top level are insufficient.

More at IEEE Spectrum

Intergalactic Computing

Intergalactic Computing

J.C.R. Licklider was a distinguished engineer and visionary computer scientist, often referred to as the “Johnny Appleseed” of computing for his contributions by planting the seeds for the Internet and World Wide Web. In 1963, Licklider was appointed head of the Behavioral Sciences and Command and Control programs at the Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). “Lick” as his colleagues affectionately referred to him, addressed members of the Intergalactic Computer Group later that year with a memo calling for a network of computers that would allow scientists to collaborate irrespective of distance or computer compatibility issues. Lick referred to the system as an intergalactic computing network, describing it conceptually, "….we could have at least four large computers, perhaps six or eight small computers, and a great assortment of disc files and magnetic tape units-not to mention remote consoles and teletype stations-all churning away" (Waldrop, 2000).

Lick’s vision for connected computing served as the foundational concept for the ARPANET, which led to the creation of a series of military networks including MILNET, SIPRNET, and eventually the Internet and later World Wide Web. In Segaller’s 1998 book “Nerds: A Brief History of the Internet”, Roberts describes Lick and his vision:

"Lick had this concept of the intergalactic network which he believed was everybody could use computers anywhere and get at data anywhere in the world. He didn't envision the number of computers we have today by any means, but he had the same concept-all of the stuff linked together throughout the world, that you can use a remote computer, get data from a remote computer, or use lots of computers in your job. The vision was really Lick's originally. None oof us can really claim to have seen that before him nor{can} anybody in the world. Lick saw this vision in the early sixties. He didn't have a clue how to build it. He didn't have any idea how to make this happen. But he knew it was important, so he sat down with me and really convinced me that it was important and convinced me into making it happen" (Roberts in Segaller, 40).

J.C.R. Licklider died in 1990 having worked on core components of UNIX development, network computing, time sharing operations (Project MAC), and professor emeritus at the Massechusets Institute of Technology. His vision for intergalactic computing continues to inspire new platforms and tools for collaboration and information sharing.