> The place we compute shifted from a central location to anywhere; the time in which we compute shifted from batch processes to continuous computing. An inter

> The place we compute shifted from a central location to anywhere; the time in which we compute shifted from batch processes to continuous computing. An interesting case of a true statement that is (imo) actually turning facts upside down. Yes, it is true, "the place" where we access information and computing services is now "anywhere", since we carry a jazzed-up dumb terminal in our pockets. All computation is now actually happening in central systems called "clouds". This was Larry Ellision's vision as articulated in late 90s. The kicker of the analysis is this: What is notable is that the current environment appears to be the logical endpoint of all of these changes: from batch-processing to continuous computing, from a terminal in a different room to a phone in your pocket, from a tape drive to data centers all over the globe. In this view the personal computer/on-premises server era was simply a stepping stone between two ends of a clearly defined range. Centralized clouds are not the "logical" conclusion of what happened in the 80s and 90s. Personal computing was precisely that: Personal. Your machine, your code. My personal speculative understanding of this transitional period in history of computing is that PC caught the policy makers by surprise. What we have now with clouds was the vision of IBM in 60s and early 70s. The 'black swan' of PC, which was coincidental with public cryptographic breakthroughs (PGP), placed serious obstacles in terms of projected policy goals, which certainly included considerations pertaining to sensitive national security capabilites, such as dissemination of information, and ad-hoc network communication. (Raise your hand if you remember clipper chip efforts, for example). So yes, the "range" was "clearly defined" per policy recommendations coming out of think-tanks, then PC happened and we spent 2 decades watching the co-option of the PC champions by Big Tech and SV money, and now we're treated to convenient "this is where we were supposed to be folks!" narratives. Try again.