Future Impact of Cloud Computing.
by SoftwareGuru
posted 16th February 2009
For the sceptical among you, there is a simple answer why top software companies like Microsoft have signed up to discount software licensing programs and it lies beyond software familiarity.
The answer is cloud computing.
Just as mobile phone technology has become commonplace, cloud computing enhanced by high speed broadband and incredibly powerful multi-core processors, has the potential to do away with operating systems and physical offline software as we know it.
The big hitters are getting ready for the next stage in the digital revolution and with competition already fierce, the consumer can only benefit.
Who's Cloud Is It Anyway?
For all schools, parents and students this year, saving money or at least spending less money has become a priority as budgets become tighter.
As a dedicated software licensing specialist, SAM UK does everything it can to keep prices low and provide top notch customer service.
In our blog section, there is a huge list of free resources and free software tools.
Cloud computing is likely to have a huge impact on our digital lives (and our wallets) in the very near future. Our data will exist online and not on our desktop hard drives. Microsoft Office Live is a good example of this new era.
It's likely that the majority of users initially will access online services which will be free with advertising attached via new touchscreen technology for work and in the home.
The keyboard, operating system, physical hard drive and monitor as we know them will be replaced. Even mobile devices today are enabling this transitional period with users accessing their data from anywhere while on the go.
The Cloud In Action
School forms such an important part of a child's development that teachers should actively engage their pupils in debate over digital issues. One issue in particular is that of illegal downloading and the effect it has on UK jobs and industries.
For example, I've discovered a new legal music tool called Spotify.
Spotify takes the Napster business model and crucially, takes the downloading out of the equation.
It's like iTunes but free.
Create an account and then stream all the music you want for free with no delays and only the odd ad every twenty minutes or so between songs.
Users can sign up for a monthly fee if they wish to have the ads removed and all users can follow links to purchase tracks if they wish.
All of which means you can buy the tracks you love the most (and more importantly, encourage your favourite artists to keep making music) and stream everything else.
It eradicates the failed business model of paying £13.99 for a CD which isn't played more than a couple of times.
Potentially, it may render iTunes redundant as well as illustrating the power of cloud computing to change user behaviour. It even works on Mac and Linux.
Spotify could be just what the music doctor ordered.
For advice on software licensing for schools and charities, why not give one of our friendly SAM UK representatives a call?
Phone now on 020 7193 5335.
