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Subject:Re: What would replace WebHelp? From:Phil Snow Leopard <philstokes03 -at- googlemail -dot- com> To:Rick Stone <rstone75 -at- kc -dot- rr -dot- com> Date:Sat, 1 Oct 2011 10:25:03 +0700
A very similar debate has been going on in the Apple/Mac OS forums on this topic for some time with the imminent arrival of Apple's "iCloud" service. iCloud does look like its trying to do exactly this: store all data and applications in the cloud and push them to various devices as and when needed (smartphone, tablet, laptop, workstation). The advantage is supposed to be that you don't need multiple copies of either s/w or data and that all your machines are 'synced' permanently and automatically.
Personally, I don't see why multiple copies is a problem with local storage being cheap (probably cheaper than cloud services over the long run), nor do I see syncing as particularly problematic even with current technology.
On the other hand, I do see problems with having all my own data available to me only when I'm granted permission through some anonymous server's security system (like AppleID), connected to a reasonably fast internet connection, and only when I'm deemed to be acting in accordance with the cloud service provider's terms and conditions.
I do see problems with the fact that the law will allow governmental or other agencies access to my data if they so require it, and I do see problems with the fact that, despite claims about unbreakable encryption keys, somewhere between me and my data are a whole host of other computers that each presents a potential security risk (either inserting unwanted or malicious data or extracting confidential information from my files).
I have no doubt that services like iCloud will be a huge success simply because of the marketing machine behind them. Some of us, however, will never see the point or advantage of using them and will avoid them. For the foreseeable future, that's not a problem, but I do predict a time will come (certainly with the way Apple is going) when using such services will be integrated into the OS so tightly that you won't be able to avoid them. In which case, I'll have to start learning the wonders of Linux... ;-o
Phil
On 1 Oct 2011, at 01:02, Rick Stone wrote:
> Hi Chris
>
> Wow... one step forward and three steps back?
>
> I recall back in the 80's when Mainframes were all the rage and PCs were just coming into the forefront. Things moved from that centrally located processor with nothing but dumb terminals, to PCs and networks with their own storage, processors and applications.
>
> What you are suggesting is that we are eventually reverting back to that model. No? Sounds like a scene from the first Tron. All applications being centrally controlled by the Master Operating System and no end user actually owning anything. (Shudder)
>
> Cheers... Rick :)
>
> On 9/30/2011 7:35 AM, Chris Despopoulos wrote:
>> ...But I'll go out on a limb and declare that file:// help systems are a dying breed. Everybody wants to go social with their help systems, and that requires server-side action. Also, the day is coming when the "applications" you use will all be clients to servers. Why would the help ever be on the client side?
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
> Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
> Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
>http://www.doctohelp.com
>
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Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
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Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days. http://www.doctohelp.com
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