In The Personal Cloud

“The cloud” is a two-word phrase we’ve been tossing around since the advent of this blog. It’s a term that’s officially part of the modern day lexicon, and everyone understands what it refers to (or so we hope). So, when did “the cloud” originate? How long have we been hearing and referencing it? This week’s quiz will test your knowledge of the phrase’s etymology and shed some light on its path into our vernacular.

Hence…

When did the term “the cloud” get coined?

A) 1997

B) 2006

C) 2001

D) 1993

We begin with the process of elimination.

Starting with our earliest possible answer: 1993 is when AOL was founded and the popularity of the Web skyrocketed as it made its way into millions of homes. Technically, this was the advent of mass virtualization, however, the “cloud” terminology came much later. The answer is not D.

In 1997 NetCentric attempted to trademark the term “cloud computing” under the patent serial number 75291765. This may be the first time the words “cloud” and “computing” were used together, but from what we can gather, their purpose for the term was something far different than what we now consider virtual computing. Their patent was eventually dropped in 1999 and today’s version of the concept still needed a name. Answer A is also incorrect.

A 2001 New York Times article references a “cloud of computers”. The context — yet again — isn’t quite in the same vein as the way we refer to the cloud today. However, this is the closest, wrong answer of our choices; if you went with C, you were just off.

The answer, according to John M. Willis, is 2006.  He cites Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s usage of “cloud computing” at a search engine conference that year as the first high profile use of the term. Shortly thereafter, the term began popping up all over the tech world. Not coincidently, Google is now probably the most important brand in cloud computing; pushing users away from hard drive software, to their massive library of cloud apps. Thus, the correct answer — as if you needed any help at this point — is B, 2006.

In the six years since its first mention, the phrase has become a recognized term across the digital landscape. That’s extremely fast word-of-mouth, and speaks volumes about the importance of the cloud in today’s society.

In short, make sure you get your files stored in the cloud, so that you can keep up with its ever-expanding growth and significance.

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The cloud’s ability to make your everyday computing life easier is well documented. But what about life away from your computer? Well, with some innovative cloud utilization, the 2012 Olympic Games in London hopes to stop traffic in its tracks.

London has never been known as a city that’s been easy to get around. Like all old-world European cities, London was built from the ground up well before the innovation of the car. This means the urban landscape of the city is far better suited for foot traffic and horse-drawn carriages than hoards of cars filling up the avenues. This summer, the Olympics may see the historic city filled with crowds far larger than any other event in the city’s entire history, and some London based companies are already preparing for unprecedented traffic conditions.

Many London-based employers are urging their employees to use cloud computing, and thanks to the cloud, telecommuting for work has become easier than ever. With cloud technology, the two-plus weeks of Olympic traffic can be assuaged by having a strong percentage of London’s normal commuting population work from home. This will take city commuters out of the Underground, and keep suburban commuters out of their cars; opening up space for the tourists visiting for the Olympic games.

According to bikinglondon.com, an Olympic spokesperson stated, “The government wants to deliver a great 2012 Olympic Games and keep London and the UK moving at the same time, that’s why we are currently encouraging businesses and commuters to plan ahead and consider their travel options.” bikinglondon, believes that the best way to plan ahead is to get in the cloud.

In addition to the space saved from keeping commuters at bay in their homes, there’s also the potential for media members to stay in one place longer. Thanks to the hyper connectivity of cloud technology, many writers and journalists don’t need to be at every event to cover every event. They can stay in the loop through live streaming updates of events, while being present at whichever event is the most important to them. This will also cut down on traffic.

Once again, we’re seeing how the cloud is changing the entire world. The Olympics is one of the greatest examples of world unification, and the cloud is showing its ability to further connect the world itself.

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