Our need to store information is ever growing and so is our determination to find the most efficient way to do so, all while keeping our data safe and protected over the years. Not to long ago, we all were so excited to move from the DVD format to the all new high definition Blu-Ray disc, but now even that technology is aging. The power of the cloud is mighty, and appealing to companies who wish to reduce their costs by switching to all digital downloads or streaming services instead of manufacturing millions of discs and cases.
Why have physical media at all? As consumers, we really only need our information, whether it’s a movie,video game, or software. The media that contains the information is simply a middleman and therefore unnecessary.
Even the way we receive our news and read our books has changed, making physical books, magazines, and newspapers the middleman again. Another thing to consider here is the way we pay for things when we are out and about. Soon, our credit cards and debit cards may become obsolete. Some companies are working on a payment system that only involves entering your cell phone number and a pin at the register. Again, the credit card being the middleman.
Not everything in the switch to an all digital world is perfect though. The new way to store data brings up new problems. What about the need to improve upon the pipeline that feeds us our information? Our broadband connection will need to be faster then ever to keep up with our data demands. We need to be able to protect our information by using strong encryption to keep thieves from getting our most sensitive data. It’s a lot easier to get information when its flying across the web. A would be thief can steal data from anywhere in the world just by jumping on the Internet and hacking security.
Stepping back and looking at everything, we realize that advancements will still need to be made to physical media, as it is not going to disappear altogether. The cloud itself that holds all of this information is made up of servers that contain actual storage media, and improvements will need to be made in order to keep servers running smoothly and efficiently. What about improving solid state storage so that it could be used in a server environment? What if we could bio-engineer an organic material that is capable of storing data and that constantly protects and rebuilds its structure to protect it from decay? Another question we must ask about the future of the cloud is, what if everyone switched tomorrow? Would today’s technology be able to keep up with the demand?
Also, I must admit that sometimes after I buy a digital download of something, like a video game, I miss having the artwork in my hand or the box and maybe even the manual. I guess you feel like the product has more value if you can actually hold it. Most companies will offer pdf versions of box art and documentation but it still feels weird. Perhaps, I only feel this way because it’s the way things used to be, maybe another generation who never bought things in that way, will feel different about it.
I remain optimistic about the future of cloud computing and hopefully by the time more and more people adapt to these new technologies, we will be ready.