This is a rather timely topic for me. I have just recently begun to embrace this concept as I jump into GAFYD with both feet now that Google has IMAP (while at the same time trying to “consolidate” the dozen or so email boxes I currently have to keep track of — Gmail Manager for FF is your friend!). Like others, I have tended to be more paranoid than not about the security of my data. However, over time I have gotten used to having my data stored and available somewhere other than on one of the (half dozen and growing!) hard drives I use locally for storage and backups. Also, I’ve started to realize that much of my data originated in the “cloud” (primarily as email), so from a privacy standpoint, well, that’s already a moot issue — the data was already in the “cloud” before I got it.

It’s comforting to know that there is another external (presumably encrypted) backup of my critical data, but I still make local backup copies of everything whether or not it is stored online. And I still use local apps because the online versions don’t have the functionality I rely on. I guess only time will tell whether or not this changes, but I think the writing’s on the wall. And I’m definitely starting to warm to the idea.

Free storage in the cloud has some trade-offs. Typically for free and easy storage in the cloud you give up a significant amount of control. Once that information goes into the cloud it remains there potentially forever, backed up on disk or tape, and beyond your control. Deleting the information on the drive doesn’t remove it from these other storage systems.

The idea of access anywhere is great, but in terms of reasonably priced “always on” connectivity we aren’t there yet.

I make my living as an information security professional for a financial institution, and maybe that makes me overly paranoid, but I don’t trust someone to make sure my data is protected unless I’ve got a contract with them that meets my idea of how they should hanle my data. Since I personally don’t have the type of clout to make them meet my requirements as opposed to their agreement they want me to sign I’ll just protect my own data and worry about how to keep it synchronized across my own devices.

I think there is always going to be a bit of uncertainty with something like this, and each individual will find various degrees of utility or even necessity from services in the Cloud.

If corporations and individuals start to take privacy more seriously (the default is opted out), and if we ever get to a point where we can always be connected, having services in the cloud will make more sense.

But right now, everything is stacked against privacy and security, and we are nowhere near being ubiquitously connected, especially not by one device.

Woadan

I think it has more to do with people that 3 or 4 devices they may want to all work from. If I had my druthers, I’d have at least 3 comps (home and work mobiles and a home desktop) and a smartphone. I would want to be able to access all of my data from any of them at any time without having to worry about syncing.

Even now I’m just working with a work desktop and home laptop, and using my PDA of all things as the syncing device (and my home files are probably 2 weeks old!).

I don’t understand the cloud either. I suppose it’s the difference between those who want an internet tablet and those who pay extra for the PC in UMPC. With an OQO, an 8gb USB drive, and SyncToy (one of Microsoft’s power toys), I don’t need or want the cloud.

The only cloud solution I like is build-your-own. Right now, I have an Internet-accessible network drive. Works as a standard network drive at home, but also enables me to access it from anywhere. Any files on it can be downloaded, but it also has built-in MP3 streaming, and I built galleries for my photos using Picasa and some simple coding. Had I the need, I’d set up a system to connect to it via ftp as a mapped network drive and sync my active files with it.

Any cloud only solution will always rely on constant connectivity. Without some kind of syncing/cache-ing solution, there’s no way you can avoid that.

As for not wanting a third party controlling your important files, I can definitely agree, and would suggest a better solution to be networked attached storage with a wap/html interface you can use on any mobile device with a browser, like a business-oriented Orb.