Cloud Computing may become much bigger than you could ever guess.
I’m sure you’ve seen ads from various investment gurus touting the so-called sea change from distributed network computing to cloud computing, as if the design is something new. In fact it is old and compares well to mainframes with dumb terminals. The major differences are in speed, web, and impact globally. The new use of an old model, and yes with new features added, may in fact have a much more dramatic impact on our next economic growth phase than anyone has been able to estimate so far. It goes way beyond just kick-dropping software platforms like Office out of the park.
The opening act for these Clouds is to wipe out what we used to know as the standard of computing in the form of operating systems, hardware, and software all networked together or apart. When the cloud systems really get going you can expect to see a huge increase in businesses of many different types. Every sector of the economy will be impacted dramatically and well beyond anything we have ever seen before, from any invention. No other innovation has had the opportunity to impact as many people, as high a percentage of the population, as this directly will. Everyone will benefit. It will seem like an almost free endeavor yet be one of the most massive financial impacts of all time. The power of information and services associated with this build-out will be shocking. Look at how many people new cloud companies hire as they grow!
What will be different? Entrepreneurs will have their greatest moments in history. Sales and marketing will become one of the most important fields in business. Commercial real estate will dramatically increase in value as space is sought after for development of new systems and services in key locations. Demand for employees will go through the roof. As many good ideas as humans will be willing to risk time and value in developing will have a chance to prosper at lower cost and risk than ever before. The entire financial system will be nearly replaced by the rapid exchange of services and virtual value; a replacement for currency which moves too slowly to keep up. Medical science, engineering, education, and more will dramatically advance during this century.
Some say the gap between those who have and those who have not will increase because of the cloud. I don’t believe this is so. Maybe in some ways, but the potential demand for employees and massive development of new systems and services should easily pick up the slack. Actually, I expect new education systems to give lower-income citizens, and those without more than a modest education, a great lift to the upside in skills and focused learning. I believe we are about to see our best days. Look at how many people are hired by new cloud companies as they grow!
This is not about automation. We have gone through downsizing and job loss from automation and there have been few opportunities for displaced workers to gain valuable skills until now. Our old model required design, build, distribute, and service of new hard products. Even computers required the same model for manufacturing and distribution. Now it will be the pointed development of new services which will require sales, marketing, education, and personal service along with the traditional manufacturing system. Yes, manufacturing will increase dramatically, like a second industrial age, but not with big plants, smoke, and heavy steel works. Instead it will be, and already is, the demand for software engineers, system designers, copy editors, and the other components of service development and marketing which will produce the highest demand for employees. New systems and infrastructure to develop them will spring into existence at a never before seen pace, and requiring humans to prepare to launch each one.
Imagine a time when anyone with a great idea can implement it with little cost and great impact. Imagine when the gold rush is instead an idea rush!
Don’t imagine, just open your eyes and look because this has already begun.
