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A trip into the secret, online 'cloud' (Computing)
CNN ^ | November 4, 2009 | John D. Sutter

Posted on 11/04/2009 12:24:43 PM PST by listenhillary

San Jose, California (CNN)

One day, while uploading yet another text file to the Google Docs Web site, I started to wonder: When I save this file online, where does it actually go?

I store tons of information on the Internet instead of just on my laptop or work computer. Often, I do this specifically so I can access information from both places, or from my mobile phone if I need it on-the-go.

Without realizing it, I'd started cloud computing, that nebulous term that refers to the idea that computing power is moving off home PCs and laptops and onto the Web.

I keep thousands of photos on Flickr. I've also got them on Facebook and tucked away in five years of Gmail messages. My videos are on 12seconds and YouTube (including a really embarrassing one of me landing on my face during a college diving meet). I've blogged from Madagascar on Blogger; my tech writing is on WordPress; and I post random snippets of info on Tumblr and Twitter.

This is not just data. It's my life. And I would be sick if I lost it. Previous generations stored their family photos and important documents in safety deposit boxes or under the mattress. Here it is 2009, and I have no idea where my data lives.

I was curious and I wanted to find the scattered bits of my online life before dumping everything on my laptop onto the Web.

So I decided to go on a scavenger hunt into the cloud.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; Technical
KEYWORDS:
Makes me wonder if we will have eternal life in the "cloud".
1 posted on 11/04/2009 12:24:43 PM PST by listenhillary
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To: listenhillary

Sounds like Freenet, where every user has an encrypted datastore on their hard drive in order to participate in the “cloud”. Thing is, you never know what is in the “datastore”.

Old news.


2 posted on 11/04/2009 12:34:05 PM PST by Soothesayer9
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To: Soothesayer9

I’m about ready to start a new identity per year. Facebook, Free Republic, Online email, Web tracking, cookies.

Data about our lives that we don’t own and data that may never be purged.


3 posted on 11/04/2009 12:37:38 PM PST by listenhillary (A "cult of personality" arises when a leader uses mass media creating idealized/heroic public image)
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To: ShadowAce

.


4 posted on 11/04/2009 12:43:33 PM PST by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
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To: listenhillary
When I save this file online, where does it actually go?


5 posted on 11/04/2009 12:44:11 PM PST by jiggyboy (Ten per cent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
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To: jiggyboy

I think a bit farther to the northeast. Try the northeast corner off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (295) and MD 32 interchange.


6 posted on 11/04/2009 12:51:38 PM PST by SargeK
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To: jiggyboy
"When I save this file online, where does it actually go? "

To the mountain regions of western Pakistan and to at least 25 cell locations around the U.S.

7 posted on 11/04/2009 1:03:59 PM PST by SuperLuminal (Where is another agitator for republicanism like Sam Adams when we need him?)
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To: SargeK

Also the good Ol NSA is building huge data mining centers in Utah and Texas.


8 posted on 11/04/2009 1:11:59 PM PST by Crimson Elephant
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To: listenhillary; rdb3; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; GodGunsandGuts; CyberCowboy777; Salo; Bobsat; JosephW; ...

9 posted on 11/04/2009 1:12:09 PM PST by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: listenhillary
The word 'secret' has lost all meaning in FreeRepublic post headlines. Even geopolitical events that world intelligence agencies know nothing about are revealed here.

In another development, I predict the word 'cloud' will soon also be used as a verb, if it isn't so already.

10 posted on 11/04/2009 1:20:40 PM PST by saint
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To: jiggyboy
The emails go here:


11 posted on 11/04/2009 1:26:34 PM PST by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July, democrats believe every day is April 15)
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To: listenhillary

When I worked in the computer industry, one of my jobs was giving test area tours to customer representatives. While the activities might be interesting to me, the customers were almost always disappointed. Besides the noise of air-cooling, there are few moving parts, and no flashing lights or movement to speak of. “It doesn’t look anything like what we see in the movies!” was a common complaint....

hh


12 posted on 11/04/2009 1:30:55 PM PST by hoosier hick (Note to RINOs: We need a choice, not an echo....Barry Goldwater)
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To: hoosier hick
I proposed to the Boss that we set up one of those old Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea "computers" in a spare corner of the Network Ops Center. You know, a wall of flashing lights, and every time the boat would take a roll it would erupt into a cloud of sparks and they'd attack it with fire extinguishers? I mean, would that be a great tour or what?

He turned me down. I don't think he really has the heart of an IT geek... :-(

13 posted on 11/04/2009 1:44:32 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: Billthedrill

When I was first in training, we had marketing types doing the tours. After one particularly enlightening tour, the fellow training me said: “I love marketing tours; you never know what new things you’ll learn about the machines!!”

hh


14 posted on 11/04/2009 1:58:06 PM PST by hoosier hick (Note to RINOs: We need a choice, not an echo....Barry Goldwater)
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To: Soothesayer9
Thing is, you never know what is in the “datastore”.

Better hope it is not kiddie p0rn. It won't matter to the Feds if you didn't know it was there or not.

15 posted on 11/05/2009 11:01:51 AM PST by anymouse (God didn't write this sitcom we call life, he's just the critic.)
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To: anymouse

If everyone is using it, I guess they will then have to arrest everyone, eh?


16 posted on 11/05/2009 9:08:26 PM PST by Soothesayer9
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To: Soothesayer9

Let us know how that theory works for you when you are bunking with Bubba in ClubFed.


17 posted on 11/05/2009 11:44:29 PM PST by anymouse (God didn't write this sitcom we call life, he's just the critic.)
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To: anymouse

Yep, 100% of all Freenet/Tor users are definitely in that particular arena.

Idiot.


18 posted on 11/05/2009 11:58:43 PM PST by Soothesayer9
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To: Soothesayer9

Grow up N00b. Hopefully you don’t find out the hard way that playing in the gutter can get you run over.


19 posted on 11/06/2009 10:42:40 AM PST by anymouse (God didn't write this sitcom we call life, he's just the critic.)
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To: anymouse

Ive been here since 2000. I could tell you my spouse’s handle, but somehow I doubt you’d really care. Seems that a lot of users here view signup date more important than actual content. And that is a tragedy.

American Spec is an excellent forum. Long, informed, educated comments from Conservatives, good writing, etc. I can say the same for TownHall. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for you. One sentence drive-by/personal attack posts do not do you credit.


20 posted on 11/06/2009 10:48:35 AM PST by Soothesayer9
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