How Convenient is Cloud Computing?

In July of 2009, Ghost Inc. launched g.ho.st, a beta cloud computing site for the public.  For those who don't know; cloud computing is the collaboration of multiple computers that share resources, but provide a seamless operation for the end user.  What was interesting about g.ho.st was that it offered the end user a "virtual desktop computer" that they could access from any computer with web access.  Essentially, you would login to their website and gain access to your own personal desktop where you could access your files, or run web-based applications, etc.

Well, on March 3, 2010, Ghost announced an end to the public beta of their site, and are now launching their commercial version of g.ho.st.  The new commercial version is now located at ghost.cc and will be a fee based service aimed at corporations looking to decentralize thier work force's need for a desktop or laptop computer and increase the ability to collaborate more freely in a secure hosted environment.

Now, I used g.ho.st for a year and found that it was a bit too cumbersome confusing awkward to be useful. You mentally have to convince yourself that this is going to be your primary desktop and that EVERY document, email, whatever that you use is going to take place in this virtual environment.  Why? Because straying outside of that environment to create a Word document or to send an email, means that you will be spending time syncing up your virutal world with your real world, later.  This process became frustrating over time.  So, frustrating that when Ghost Inc. announced the end of the public beta, I shrugged and felt somewhat relieved.

My bigger issue with this service is that companies like Google offer several of these features, already.  For free.  And well, less "awkwardly".  Google recently announced that Google Docs now works with ANY document format and no longer requires the conversion of your desktop files to Google's proprietary format.  Bueno!  Now, I don't need Ghost for my documents.  What about email?  Well, we all know that there are millions of free email services out there, and if I sign up for Gmail from Google, the integration with the aforementioned Google Docs is seamless.  Add on other Google features like Calendar and you have your own virtual desktop.  More importantly, it's seamlessly integrated into the way that I use the internet, every day.

Personally, I'm not sad to see g.ho.st disappear like, well...a ghost.  But, I do wish them well with ghost.cc, since it does seem like a genuine effort to bring true cloud computing to the end user.  Personally, I'm content with the Google suite of applications to meet my cloud computing needs.