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Is that Phobos or Deimos?

Why, thank you!

Respectfully beg to differ. When world-class engineering organizations put their mission-critical IP into the cloud, the security is banking-level. Agree, as I said before, that is far different from many consumer-oriented cloud services. My point is that security is not inherently put at risk simply because of something being cloud-based these days. Just depends on how it is implemented.

Cowplop. World-leading manufacturing companies do their high-demand engineering simulation in the cloud today, and would not think of going back. Including the most paranoically security-conscious defense contractors. I know firsthand that a shitload of the simulation that went into the Joint Strike Fighter, etc., etc., etc. was done in the cloud. TY, you too know this firsthand. Lockheed Martin Defense Systems, General Dynamics Land Systems, Raytheon, General Dynamics Electric Boat, Pratt & Whitney, General Atomics, on and on and on -- these guys may be evil but they are not dummies. They are all way into the cloud today. Likewise with the big EPCs -- Fluor, Bechtel, Halliburton, Jacobs Engineering, Brown & Root, et al. Granted, consumers may always get the shaft (see related post on the clusterfuck of hotmail's demise -- I hate that like everyone else). But business customers have clout that will sink a cloud provider if one single breach occurs. Look at the success of salesforce.com -- I fought tooth and nail with an old boss who would on no account put our customer lists in the cloud. But now no sensible company would do it any other way. Relying on my own maintenance of my in-office server to keep alive such a critical resource, instead of the professionals at salesforce whose whole business would go down the toilet if they (1) failed to maintain the absolute integrity of my data or (2) allowed any kind of security breach, would just be delusional thinking on my part. We already trust online banking, providing we have adequate security on our local devices. What is more important than our money?

One of the most accomplished art critics And scholars passed away. Originally from Australia, lived most of his life between NY and London. Anyone interested in understand art from the impressionists to Wharhol and Scnabel should pick a copy of "The Shock of the New", among his many books on the subject. Only 74, we sure will miss you. R.I.P.

I have similar concerns. I don't actively do cloud computing and I do not think I will start if I can help it. I do share movies with my son on some cloud accounts that are his. He 'buys' some movies on these accounts. One of his movies that he 'bought' disappeared when the company he purchased through lost the 'license' to hold that movie. So much for 'buying' on the cloud. He had no recourse as the company would not respond. We haven't even touched Big Brother yet. Good luck.