Comments on: Is SkyNet Watching?: SaaSy Fresno

By: Tim Parichan

Tim Parichan — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:53:33 +0000

Nice Comment

By: Tigon A.

Tigon A. — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 06:07:13 +0000

In today’s world, cloud computing will be the social norm. Just think of Facebook and other websites that gather and hold our data and information (whether useful or useless is a matter of perspective). This data is out there for anyone and everyone to see. Also, we “online everything” from banking to pizza delivery. The world wide web is the wild wild west and unless we tattoo a barcode onto our guarded forehead encoded with our encrypted information and essentially scan it everytime we need to release that information, it’s almost impossible to not have some parts of our “electronic DNA” floating in that vast cloud. Your “virtual self” inside the information cloud will become more important in some ways than your “real self” to those businesses residing out there in the SaaS never-never land. Embrace it, know it, don’t fear it, and most of all, just get used to it…because like it or not, you’re already in it.

By: Josh Tibbet

Josh Tibbet — Wed, 19 May 2010 23:15:14 +0000

I do personally use Itunes for music, google for look ups, yahoo for mail, and I use Hulu for TV. I have found “Cloud Computing” to be extremely accessible and convenient. I don’t have much of a problem with my information being stored in the safe keeping of machines, but at the same time, I have nothing that is of much value to anyone else. I could see that sort of thing being a real issue to those who have millions of dollars or priceless information, material goods, etc. In that case, maybe the problem in the future should not be so much of who it is that is able to reach the information of a person, but the means by which they can gain authority to use it. As it is right now, a person can do just about anything under another’s name with a license, Soc. Sec. number, and an address. I’m suggesting that if personal security and protection of valuables is a concern, change these means of obtaining info. Everyone can keep these numbers, and Identifications, but perhaps the finger print route, or eye scan is the future. I agree that the world will probably eventually head towards subscriptions (like the Rhapsody example), but I do not think that Rhapsody is the type of subscription that people will move towards. Songs have the ability to be timeless, and that is what is so precious about being able to own a song, as opposed to leasing it and 1000s others for one month. If there is ever a month that a person couldn’t pay their subscription, that is one month that they can not have that song they want to hear. it isn’t the same with movies, because of the length. The time it takes to watch a movie makes people move their schedule around it, and that is why it is not quite as important to own. We don’t have the ability to say, “I’ll just watch this movie really quick before I come over to your birthday party.” Where as people do say, “Oh, hold on a second, I’ll be over in a few, my song is on!” So subscriptions will be stronger as time goes on, but it depends on the product or service a person is prescribing to. A tax subscription might be good since people only do taxes 1 time or quarterly through out the year.

By: Josh Tibbet

Josh Tibbet — Wed, 19 May 2010 23:05:34 +0000

By: Jose V

Jose V — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:29:28 +0000

To rent or to buy? I personally prefer to rent because once I have seen the movie once I rarely see it again. So to have access to so many differently media libraries like Lime Wire that is free by the way is great. I just hope that they don’t start to charge like rhapsody and ITunes. Another favorite of mine is the Red Box where you can rent movies for a dollar a day, and Netflix. And the convenience to buy or rent with the click of the mouse is wonderful, but there is a more troubling side to the fast moving world of the internet.

I know that it is great having access to Yahoo, Google, and Hulu at our finger tips, but what about our right to privacy. We are begin hacked every day and infected with viruses that take down our computers and steal our identities. I know that the internet has many benefits, but it also has many disadvantages that affect us globally like child pornography, terrorist’s communication, money laundry, fraud, prostitution, and many other illicit activities. Going back to Skynet our information is not safer with them because to think of what happened in the Terminator movie sounds a bit far fetched and fictional, but is fast becoming a reality. To imagine how many people are using the Software as a Service (SaaS) and putting their personal information at risk is of a major concern.

By: Patirck M

Patirck M — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:56:40 +0000

After reading this article it is amazing to think just how dependent we are on “Cloud Computing”. Everyone that is watching TV clips from hulu or has a Gmail/Yahoo email account are using the SaaS programs which we enter our personal information in that can be tracked. Basically everything can be tracked from your personal computer if it is hooked up to the internet because it can be traced back to the IP address. Many sites have tracking cookies and spam that attack your computer and can even harm it. However, there are ways for surfing the web anonymously buy using false IP addresses or ghost programs.
In the past 20 years look how far we have advanced in computer technology, we can do things now that would not be possible 10 years ago with the new advancement. It seems almost every couple of months some company is coming out with a new electronic device that puts old models to shame. I think it is very likely sometime in the near future that we will develop artificial intelligence that will far surpass humans.
With all the science fiction movies i.e. The Matrix, Terminator, I-Robot, etc. will there be a time when the creation turns on the creator? Nevertheless, “skynet” may be a very real threat in the near future.
I thought this article was very interesting because of the title and the picture also caught my eye.

By: MarcoL

MarcoL — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:45:30 +0000

Pretty amazing to learn that many things we do on a day to day basis is related to this type of networking (SaaS). I’m an iTunes fanatic myself: mostly music, but lately, my 10-year old son has enjoyed downloading videos and games on his iPod Touch. Technology has come a long way and will continue to develop into the already existing multi-million dollar industry. Just a brief idea of how advanced technology has come; i.e the iPhone, Blackberry, and whatever else is out there now with email, banking, marketing, and other advanced available applications, all via a cell phone. Just a few years back, (10-15), electronic places still sold them gigantic cell phones that people swung over their shoulder because they were so big and heavy.
In the planet of rent vs. buy, I prefer to buy, but I’m not unfamiliar to renting. Not an avid customer of Hollywood Video, I do occasionally rent a movie or two: and this will usually lead me to buying the movie (if I liked it), or to not recommending it to family and friends. No monthly fees as a member of the rental video franchise, this has ultimately saved me from buying movies that I know will never be pulled out of its case. When it comes to bigger items of “rent vs. buy”; a few factors like the amount of use, cost, reliability and convenience of the item is considered on the decision to buy it, or rent it.
Finally, on the topic of “skynet” or “cloud computing”, we are doing it now. It is a bit scary to think that a lot of personal information, critical, and top secret information is held in such fashion: however, we usually don’t think twice about it and do it anyway. Not only is this technology changing and improving, in some instances, the use of it is mandatory.

By: Leslie C

Leslie C — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:52:01 +0000

I never realized so much of my stuff was SaaS. I belong to NetFlix because I don’t want to take the time to go and buy movies. They come right to my door, I watch them and then send them back for another one. No driving, and poluting the environment, and no more money than it takes to go to Blockbuster and walk up and down the isles until you find just the right movie. I hulu, yahoo, and even Itune it sometimes. Wow I spend way to much time on a computer now that I think about it. This items are great for the busy person and I know they make our lives easier but what happen to just getting out of the house once in awhile. Before long we will all be telecommuting, there will be no cars on the road at all, and you will never see anyone except those that actually live in your home.

One of the comments said that the Hunter & Gatherer was like the rent, but I disagree, I believe that is more of the buy. They took what they needed and didn’t return it so it’s more like buying to me. The agriculture was more like the rent because they use the land and then give back what they have grown. Either way it’s a great point.

When I think of Skynet it reminds me of my religious upbringing, that some day we will have scanners implanted into the tops of our hands with all of our personal data and you won’t have to carry a wallet or purse anymore because this implant will have you money, you life, and who knows maybe it will even know your death. Scary stuff. I think I’ll stick to carrying cash.

By: Megan

Megan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:26:23 +0000

Loved this post on Jim’s blog, so I’m glad to see it here as well. I look forward to perusing this blog more extensively, and hope you’ll both return the favor with my blog.

P.S. This is where I name drop Jim:

http://theotherjadedjournalist.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-is-blog.html

By: JamieA

JamieA — Thu, 14 May 2009 06:35:46 +0000

I think the majority of people have an idea of buying is much more desired than renting. In certain circumstances this is true. It is a better investment to purchase a house than to rent a house. Yet, there are certain circumstances that favor renting over buying. For example, the issue regarding a Rhapsody account over an Itunes account in the above article. A one time payment can acquire a lot more music than an individual payment made on every song that is requested. Another example is renting a movie versus buying a movie. What if you did not like that particular movie, you are stuck with it now and paid more so you didn’t benefit from it. I think the outcomes need to be analyzed and each situation treated accordingly.