
Desktop giving way to the cloud, poll says - gibsonf1
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/12/BUIA1DU093.DTL
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rlpb
I remain sceptical. Latency kills productivity. A desktop application running
on the machine in front of you can still have "cloud" functionality provided
by cloud-based APIs managed by the vendor. The desktop is not orthogonal to
the cloud.

The real advantages of the cloud (when considering the cloud as a "desktop
alternative") are a known, homogeneous execution environment, easy
installation, updates and maintenance. However, these advantages are all a
consequence of the existing ecosystem, not fundamental advantages of the
cloud.

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zmmz
I am also a bit weary of predicting the decline of local storage and apps for
the home user. The correct headline of the article should be "Local desktops
giving way to hosted desktops".

Nearly all enterprise level corporations are either already using private
cloud services (citrix style solutions) with thin clients or are doing a
migration to them for exactly the advantages you listed.

I think that what is for sure is that we will see this paradigm trickle down
more and more throughout the workplace, with progressively smaller companies
having deploying their own desktop visualization systems, with employees
either using thin clients or bringing their personal laptops to work.

