Technology

Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone

If someone were to ask what “the cloud” means to you, would you look up to the sky? Chances are you’d probably describe a fluffy, white mass of water droplets that have formed in Earth’s troposphere.

In the tech world though, “cloud” means something completely different and a recent survey by Citrix Systems shows that only 16 percent of Americans can accurately define cloud computing. More than half of Americans would say they’ve never used cloud computing, while 95 percent of them actually have.

“While ‘the cloud’ may be the tech buzzword of the year, many Americans remain foggy about what the cloud really is and how it works,” Citrix Systems writes.

In fact, one in five Americans surveyed admitted to pretending to know what the cloud was when they really couldn’t define it. And 51 percent of respondents said stormy weather could interfere with cloud computing.

Well, here’s an answer from PC Mag as to how you would generally encounter cloud computing in your personal life:

In essence, personal cloud computing means having every piece of data you need for every aspect of your life at your fingertips and ready for use. Data must be mobile, transferable, and instantly accessible. The key to enabling the portable and interactive you is the ability to synch up your data among your devices, as well as access to shared data. Shared data is the data we access online in any number of places, such as social networks, banks, blogs, newsrooms, paid communities, etc.

Cloud Computing Survey Reveals Most Americans Dont Know Exactly What It Is But Want to Learn More

(Image: Wikimedia)

Assisted by Wakefield Research, Citrix Systems surveyed 1,000 people 18 and older about their knowledge of cloud computing and how they use it in their daily lives. Here are some of the findings regarding Americans’ viewpoints of cloud computing:

  • When people pretend to know the cloud: One third of respondents pretended to understand the cloud in an office setting and 14 percent did so in a job interview. “Interestingly, an additional 17 percent have pretended to know what the cloud was during a first date.”
  • Words used to define the cloud: Toilet paper, pillow, smoke, outerspace, cyberspace, mysterious network, unreliable, security, sadness, relaxed, overused, oh goody a hacker’s dream, storage, movies, money, memory, back-up, joy, innovation, drugs, heaven and a place to meet.
  • Concerns of the cloud: There were a variety of reasons why some rarely or never used the cloud: cost (34 percent), security concerns (32 percent) and privacy concerns (31 percent).

Even though it would appear Americans don’t quite know what to make of the cloud yet, they believe there is a value in learning more about it.

“This survey clearly shows that the cloud phenomenon is taking root in our mainstream culture, yet there is still a wide gap between the perceptions and realities of cloud computing,” Kim DeCarlis, vice president of corporate marketing at Citrix, said in a statement. “While significant market changes like this take time, the transition from the PC era to the cloud era is happening at a remarkable pace. The most important takeaway from this survey is that the cloud is viewed favorably by the majority of Americans, and when people learn more about the cloud they understand it can vastly improve the balance between their work and personal lives.”

Featured image via Shutterstock.com.

(H/T: GeekOSystem)

Comments (57)

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  • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:55pm

    “The Cloud” is just the latest buzzword for what was formerly called “The Grid”. It’s computing as a utility, like electricity, phone, gas, etc. Launch processes on your local machine, and the data is shipped off to processing facilities in “The Cloud”. The results are shipped back to your local machine for your possessing pleasure. Problem is, this shipping is generally done in the clear, unencrypted. There are lots of academic papers on how to dispatch jobs to the cloud where the data remains encrypted throughout the entire process, even while the cloud is processing it.

    Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
  • korbin
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 8:27pm

    Its Facebook on steroids, the first 1,000 pics can never be deleted. I have never had a FB nor will I ever use cloud. F that…Privacy what?

    Report Post »  
  • jdog777
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 5:43pm

    all it is storing data on a server somewhere in IP enabled space. It is utilizing IP protocol to retrieve it. All information that has exposure to the Internet is potentially part of the cloud… even if it is secured behind a firewall. A decent hacker can get to it. So for those of you who think your financial information is secure… chances are your bank has a portal and it is part of the cloud. Your credit information, your personal information…. everything is probably exposed. Look how much Obama had to spend to secure his information. With this FACT in mind…. if you want to simplify your already exposed life… there are some decent storage providers out there that do a good job fending off 99.999% of security violations and encrypting data. It is actually safer on those servers than it is on your home computer sitting behind a Norton software firewall.

    Report Post »  
    • GdHUs
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 6:52pm

      JDOG, you are a prince! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us tech Neanderthals.

      Report Post » GdHUs  
    • John 1776
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 7:54pm

      Only 16% of Americans know what cloud computing is? Wow!
      Let me explain:
      Instead of storing your data and personal information on your own computer, which you can unplug, disconnect from the internet, or even chop up with an axe if you like…

      You store it on some remote server farm that is in a distant place that you probably don’t know where it is! This way, you can access your data from anywhere in the world, on just about any device!

      …..Of course, you’d better have good security…..
      But don’t worry, if you can’t get to your data, there are over a billion Chinese and Russians that are looking for it on your behalf! Oops, I mean THEIR behalf.

      Report Post » John 1776  
    • RRFlyer
      Posted on September 1, 2012 at 9:13am

      Very good, JOHN 1776 You are a Good Pretender just like everyone else.

      Report Post »  
    • BloodSweatandTears
      Posted on September 2, 2012 at 1:53am

      Might you please identify those storage providers? At least a hint….this (lack of security) is on my anxiety list bubbling away….Thank you!

      Report Post »  
  • Meyvn
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 3:22pm

    I know what it is and I don’t care to store any more data than necessary on another parties infrastructure. It’s just another way to pick away at privacy.

    Report Post » Meyvn  
  • Comanche Joe
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 3:16pm

    The cloud is basically an updated version of the mainframe / terminal design from back in the day. You have “smart” devices connecting to “centrally” housed applications/data.

    Report Post » Comanche Joe  
  • Pat Alexander
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 3:07pm

    “The Cloud” is just a feel good buzz word cooked up by marketing gurus – that is supposed to make you feel fine about storing your data somewhere besides your local network or your PC or Mac. It’s actually a massive server farm somewhere.

    What could possibly go wrong??

    :O) :O) :O) :O) :O)

    Sure you have control… Just a sec…Hey stop that !! Down Cloud !! Bad Cloud !!

    Whoops, Too late !!

    Bad Bad Bad idea.

    Report Post »  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:52pm

    in other current electronic news, from Chicago and IL REVIEW, Com(munist)Ed in Chicago has to admit that 3 house fires were from the ComEd ”SMART GRID” (remember Glenn Beck warned of this about 2 years ago) == “Smart Grid meters start three Chicago area home fires.”
    Crain’s reports on problems developing in Philadelphia which led to suspending smart-meter installations that state lawmakers okayed for Illinois’ Com Ed last year during a heated – and finger-pointing – debate on the Illinois Senate floor. Now the topic’s getting hotter as smart meters were found to be involved in three suburban Chicago home fires.
    Two weeks after Commonwealth Edison Co.’s sister utility in Philadelphia suspended smart-meter installations after a fire and more than a dozen incidents of overheating, ComEd says there have been three “small fires” involving smart meters it installed in suburban Chicago homes.
    “ComEd has experienced three smart meter events that resulted in damage to metering equipment and to the immediate area around the meter due to small fires,” the utility said in a statement responding to questions from Crain’s. In addition, 15 other smart meters have exhibited “higher than normal heat conditions causing damage to the smart meter,” ComEd said.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
    • 4loveUSA
      Posted on September 2, 2012 at 12:46pm

      soo , the car’s are on fire(Obama‘s green car’s ) now the homes are burning. Anyone get the feeling like we are being thinned out?-Oh, and our health, energy, food , children etc , are to be controled by the WH(AKA) the gov. Prison camp , anyone?

      Report Post » 4loveUSA  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:47pm

    just imagine the sorry fate of these ‘lost’ Americans when -not if- the (Russian Chinese Iranian) EMP hits us. we already cannot use any store cashier ‘register’ during a power outage.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
  • randy
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:44pm

    Idiots use cloud computing……. Anyone willingly storing their data on someone else’s computer system deserves what they get. You’ve given up control of your data. Morons!

    Report Post » randy  
    • jcldwl
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:48pm

      You are correct sir.

      Report Post » jcldwl  
    • SocialistSlayer
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:56pm

      kind of like turning control of your country to Communist like obama and his Comrades!

      Report Post » SocialistSlayer  
    • Meyvn
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 3:22pm

      Yeah… It’s pretty stoopid!

      Report Post » Meyvn  
    • sgallion1
      Posted on September 3, 2012 at 5:17pm

      It‘s great for being able to work at home or on the road and still have access to all the information on your company’s network. Or for being at work and being able to access your info from your personal computer. The problem is that once you make info available from anywhere……IT’S ALWAYS AVAIL TO ANYONE. And for all intent and purposes….it’s there FOREVER. No sense to get worried about it now. It’s been that way long before we started referring to it as “cloud computing”.

      Report Post »  
  • ONLY4UANDME
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:38pm

    Hmmm,…… going paperless?

    Report Post »  
  • ICANHANDLETHETRUTH
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:33pm

    LOL do people just make sh%# up or what ????? LOL

    Report Post »  
  • neiman1
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:25pm

    The Cloud means storing all your data on a hard drive owned and serviced by someone else.
    The Cloud means no ability to control your own data.
    The Cloud means someone can access all of your data without your ever knowing.

    All data must be stored. There is no cloud in the sky. Your data is just under the whim of someone other than you

    Report Post »  
    • Weiners Wiener
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:36pm

      I like your definition best. I don’t need that little bit of extra convenience at the expense of privacy. give me privacy anyday.

      Report Post »  
    • guz75
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:58pm

      Perhaps you should look up how encryption works before making ill-informed comments.

      The information once stored is of no use to anyone else trying to access it externally except you, the encryption is based on your own individual passkey that allows the data to be effectively reconstructed.

      The information on your home computer is not encrypted and is far more vulnerable. Hackers don‘t go after encrypted data centers and the people that maintain them can’t decrypt your information, but there are hackers constantly trying to find different ways of accessing your home computer – phishing, wireless sniffing etc. Your information is actually at far greater risk stored on your own hard drive.

      Report Post »  
    • Virgil_Lance
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:59pm

      Good definition! Keep a copy of your music or e-book on the cloud, and keep anything personal or sensitive off of it.

      Report Post » Virgil_Lance  
    • DRAGONSEED
      Posted on September 2, 2012 at 11:18pm

      Nice summation.

      People are way too eager to surrender everything they have (especially their TRUST) to some “MAGICAL SYSTEM…” whether it be some high-fallutin’ high-tech gimmick like “THE CLOUD” or some guttersnipe hailing out of CHICAGO! Either way, they are surrendering their privacy, security, hopes and future to UNKNOWN RISK & LIKELY LOSS, all for the “promise” of convenience and personal aggrandizement.

      Report Post » DRAGONSEED  
  • TheImirOfGroofunkistan
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:25pm

    it’s the next great marketing buzz word. The cloud will solve all of your problems (except for the problems it doesn’t solve and the ones it creates).

    It (the buzz word) will be replaced by something else in 5 years that is useful in certain situations but not the ones marketing will think of.

    Report Post » TheImirOfGroofunkistan  
  • dbones
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:07pm

    I work in IT and have for many years. I really think Cloud Computing is a fad and it will go away for the most part, especially for business use. Cloud Computing creates “Honey Pots” for hackers that can gain access to many different company’s information all in one spot. Also, how do you know you can trust the admins that are running the cloud? How do you know they aren’t rifling through your data and stealing it? Cloud Computing brings many security issues to light, although you don’t hear anyone talk about that. All it will take is one gigantic exploitation and the fad will be over, but the damage will have been done. Keep your proprietary data on site, it’s more secure.

    Report Post »  
    • JRook
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:20pm

      This is an easy one. A “Cloud” is a condition that Sarah Palin, M. Bachmann, Christine O’Donnell, Rick Santorum and Allen West exist within.

      Report Post »  
    • t00nces2
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:29pm

      Amazing how an Obama supporter can give his best insult at conservatives regarding cloud computing and definitively they are in a bubble! Well played, JRook!

      Report Post »  
    • Wool-Free Vision
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 3:23pm

      JRook, actually the cloud is that nauseating aroma rolling off the sweaty, slimy, unwashed masses of the OWS folk in Tampa this week – or more appropriately, unwashed asses.

      Report Post » Wool-Free Vision  
    • JRook
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 5:16pm

      @t00nces2 Actually I am an undecided and voted for Reagan, Bush Sr. Bush Jr. once, skipped his second term for obvious reasons, voted for Obama in 2008 (wouldn’t let Palin run a lemonade stand) and still undecided. My usual capstone criteria is which candidate, campaign and now “related” super PACs lie the most. So far Romney / Ryan are way ahead. Medicare ad, Welfare ad, Ryan’s auto plant statement come to mind as the obvious ones. So we will see. Hard for the PRESIDENT to lie as much when he can direct 80% of his message to pointing out their obvious lies.

      Report Post »  
    • JRook
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 5:21pm

      @Wool-Free Vision Guess that’s possible too. But how they have anything to do with the election or candidates is nothing more than an extension of GB’s strategy or rather the Koch Bros. strategy as they direct all these clowns, to throw whatever you can think of at the PRESIDENT. Once GB, Rush, Palin, Fox News etc. have milked the angry crowd and ideologically addicted out of enough money they might realize that the lies, misrepresentations and false conspiracies drive independents away. And Romney / Ryan’s ads regarding Medicare, Welfare and the auto plant closure statement that are blatant lies don’t help either.

      Report Post »  
  • Locked
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:07pm

    Sure, almost everyone uses cloud computing. If you have any popular e-mail system, you use cloud computing. Your e-mail isn’t stored on your computer, after all; but that means you can access it anywhere, not just in your house.

    My office uses it; we have a “shared” drive that you can access from anywhere if you have the correct clearance and have been authorized to enter the system. It’s nothing new or revolutionary. And if you work in any decent office, any worries about losing internet access are complete bull.

    That said, we still backup all super important files on our individual machines.

    Report Post »  
  • mydh12
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:57pm

    Anyone who uses gmail, Google docs, Hotmail, yahoo mail, Dropbox, or similar applications, uses the “cloud.”

    Report Post »  
  • teddrunk
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:54pm

    Why the heck would anybody want or care about this. Every piece of data at your fingertips? Why?
    People walk around all day now staring at an iphone or some other stupid gadget.

    Report Post »  
    • TheImirOfGroofunkistan
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:29pm

      that’s the point. their phones are accessing their data in the cloud. That way in two years when they get their next phone, they just have to sign in and all of their data is immediately on that phone without having to copy things there manually.

      Report Post » TheImirOfGroofunkistan  
  • kadster01
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:51pm

    Haven’t decided yet if the purpose of this article is to educate us on what a “cloud” is, or to make fun of those of us who didn’t/don’t really know.

    Report Post »  
    • Wool-Free Vision
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:54pm

      Well said. And spot-on. The poll gives it away.

      Once again, The Blaze has given us a completely broken poll, and I refuse to participate because the only two options do not apply to me. The poll presented is the equivalent of asking someone, “When did you stop beating your wife?” To answer it at all is to concede that you either don’t know what a cloud is or that you have never discussed it.

      If you are going to make a poll, please try not to manipulate the participants to get the result you want.

      Report Post » Wool-Free Vision  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:42pm

    Yeah I know what “The Cloud” is – don’t get used to it.

    Report Post »  
  • fatsomann
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:40pm

    Hey, hey, you get off of my cloud………..

    Report Post » fatsomann  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:40pm

    I’m not a real big fan of this for daily use. It’s great for an off-site backup solution.

    All it is, is having your data stored on some server of server farm and you can access it with an Internet connection. That’s right, it’s just on a hard drive somewhere.

    What happens when you lose your Internet connection?

    The “Cloud” dumps a lot of rain on you and you are left without access to your data. Remember that switch that Obama wants to kill the Internet? What are you going to do when that happens? Remember what happened when Google went down? No e-mail, no anything associated with Google.

    And there’s nothing you can do about it. Keep your data that you need at home and back it up.

    Report Post » The-Monk  
    • kadster01
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:55pm

      That‘s why I don’t trust uploading my only copy of anything important to cyberspace. I want it where I can get my hands on it even if the internet is down. Its also why I carry cash instead of trusting the bank with all my money.

      Report Post »  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 2:56pm

      @kadster01
      “That‘s why I don’t trust uploading my only copy…..”

      Please make a backup of all your data. You should never have to say, “my only copy”.

      Trust me, I’ve done a lot of date recoveries from all over the World.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
  • eyestoseeearstohear
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:39pm

    I figured it was a “ cyber storage place” WHICH MEANT TO ME -
    MY STUFF WOULD NOT BE UNDER MY CONTROL & OPEN TO OTHERS.

    So, THAT‘S WHY I don’t use it.

    I appreciate this article – as it CONFIRMS my reason for not using it.

    Report Post »  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:43pm

      It’s supposed to be encrypted, but don’t count on it. I have the free iCloud and SkyDrive storage, but only put songs on there, nothing of a personal nature.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • cubber
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:38pm

    One of the first laws of programming. When you put something in memory, remember where you put it. As an IT professional, I am hesitant with what I put where.

    Report Post » cubber  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:34pm

    I don’t know why they keep pushing this word “CLOUD” around, it‘s just server storage that’s been around for decades. I guess, they think if they give it a new name, people will flock to it, but it doesn’t seem to be working.

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
    • LTinUT
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:46pm

      The cloud is more than just server storage. The cloud provides access to not only stored data, but business applications accessible through the Internet instead of the traditional installation on desktops, laptops, or mobile devices. In large organizations managing large amounts of data as well as installing and updating software on every system can be very time-consuming and expensive. Accessing cloud applications resolves this problem and is often a cost-effective alternative to traditional software and data storage because there is no need to purchase and maintain hardware. Higher returns on investment, lower costs of ownership, and leveraging the latest business applications becomes readily available for businesses of any size when using cloud technologies. The end result is that small businesses can afford the same cutting-edge tools and technologies as large businesses.

      Report Post » LTinUT  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:49pm

      Hi Anonymous T. Irrelevant,

      Microsoft tried this years ago. They wanted your entire Operating System on a “Cloud like” system.

      No hard drive in your computer at all. All you needed was an Internet connection and “boot up” directly to “their” servers. Not me !!!!

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:57pm

      @LTinUT,

      You are correct about applications…. until you lose your Internet connection.

      I used to do a lot of IT work for businesses. One client decided to use Google for everything. And this was in Florida; home of the World’s most lightning strikes. Between the power outages, Google and their Internet connection (ISP) going, down they lost tons of money as all their employees just sat their without ANY access to anything.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
  • heavyduty
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:29pm

    Haven’t used it as far as I know. Still can’t tell you what it means.

    Report Post »  
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