Microsoft thinks cloud is bad … and they would know!
To be honest, this is an “angry” piece of writing. A rant … a diatribe … whatever you might like to call it. But I just couldn’t let this go!
Microsoft (yep, the same company that recently demonstrated that they are unable to manage other people’s data) have come out with a “white paper” outlining their concerns about cloud computing. Here’s an article about that release from a leading Australian Newspaper. Take a few moments to read it, and I DEFY you not to be flabbergasted at the astounding combination of arrogance and ignorance they they are displaying.
… just breathe … in and out … in and out … ok …
The funny thing is – the point they were making about security is a good one – they were just the wrong company to make it, on so many levels! Its like a lion lecturing a herd of gazelles on the virtues of not becoming food. Let me count the ways:
- Microsoft themselves are notoriously bad at looking after other people’s data
- The cloud model is in direct competition with the current MSFT business model (no matter how much they talk about their half-hearted efforts in this direction)
- Let’s remember that this is the company that used to tell us that the internet was a passing fad (until they realized how much money Netscape were making and engaged in some dodgy behaviour to force consumers to use their own product)
- Their spokesman makes no sense. What does this mean –> “We want to take the initiative in regard to our position on privacy in the cloud” <– that’s a nonsense statement. It means nothing at all!
- Oh, and what about “Companies should know where their data is sitting in the cloud”? Huh? The whole IDEA of the cloud is that applications and/or data could run anywhere. How would it be beneficial to a company to know where its data is residing? Wouldn’t that actually negate one of the major security benefits of the cloud?
Hard as it may be to believe, I’m NOT a Microsoft-hater … at all! They have been a revolutionary company in the history of computing, and have been almost solely responsible for bringing computing to the masses. But you see, that’s what upsets me most of all – here is a company that many consumers look to for leadership – and it’s disturbing that they see fit to abuse that position by spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt about a market where it just hasn’t tried hard enough.
Sure, you have to watch who has access to your data – there’s nothing new there – just don’t paint the cloud as the bogeyman!
