stormcloudpresentation
Table of Contents
1 Concept and objectives
1.1 Purpose
- Address the threat of proprietary "cloud computing"
- Effectively rebrand cloud computing
- Help users find a positive alternative
2 Introduction (open frontpage of site)
ideas here are not completely new (many already outlined by autonomo.us already). The way I'm presenting it is.
read frontpage (yes, even though that's bad presentation form)
Make note that the title is probably pretty weak… will get to that
Didn't spend as much time on the site as it probably looks… :P
2.1 Stormcloud Computing
Name chosen to "rebrand" cloud computing using its existing themes
The name itself doesn't fully convey the rebranding we want
Attempt to supplement with images and common themes to help users adjust their vision, including:
- A clear and sinister face of stormcloud computing for users to think about
- stormcloud computing keeps freedom out of reach
- Stormcloud computing is an unnatural disaster (this one may be silly, but helps dispel "natural" and "free" motifs of clouds, and even stormclouds)
- Could always make some Ghostbusters jokes (okay, not seriously)
Want users to perceive stormcloud computing as a threat while memorably presenting the issues without watering them down
2.2 Free network city
The vision aiming for here is a city of decentralized, free network services
Probably the weaker of the two metaphors, but want to give users a conceptual alternative to stormcloud computing
Want user to feel as if deciding between stormcloud computing and free network city
AKA:
- free cloud city
- free network services
Important idea here is being a "citizen" of free network services
"Become a citizen of free network services"
Could probably use another page to better clarify these concepts
3 Issues
These items should likely have two components:
- The threats to user freedom
- The ways that free software and free network services help handle these issues and preserve user freedom
3.1 Freedom: Shackled to the Stormcloud
3.1.1 Threats to user freedom by stormcloud computing
Loss of autonomy: you may become dependent upon that provider
traditional threats of nonfree software (can't copy or modify)
In some ways being forbidden to "share" seems like it doesn't come into play, but consider that with free network services there is the opportunity to share that's lost here
The danger of taking free software and sending it to a remote and inaccessible prison
3.1.2 Resolutions by free network services
Opportunity to educate people about free software
Properties of free software… relate to network services
- run the program, for any purpose
- study and adapt
- redistribute so as to help your neighbor
- release modified changes so that whole community benefits
Also discuss free culture
Being distributed helps to keep everyone from putting their eggs in one basket (encouraged, but not required, like wikipedia?)
Encouraging open standards
3.2 Privacy: Eye of the Stormcloud
Stormcloud Computing means everyone is using the same service generally… means one group can see everything
Being nonfree means that one group can have some useful features that others don't have, making everyone want to use that service.
Could previously have a good privacy policy and change it its terms in evil ways (like facebook) and when that change happens there is no option to set up a new non-evil version of that application
Being distributed means that nobody sees too much of one everyone's data
3.3 Data and functional persistence: Vanishing cloud
3.3.1 Threats to user freedom by stormcloud computing
What happens to your data when a proprietary network service software goes away?
What happens when you've come to depend on the functionality of that service, and it goes away?
If another company purchases the company that ran the proprietary network service you are using, what happens to your data? (and privacy implications again)
3.3.2 Resolutions by free network services
You have control over the applications you run and its data, so you can back up & etc as necessary
- If a major stormcloud dies, everyone using that application is affected, and nobody has the option to start a new version of it
- if a single server of a free network service dies, a select group of people are affected, and the functionality of that program is not lost to the world
4 Free Network Services Directory
- List of free network services
- List of proprietary network services and their counterparts
5 Further Advocacy / Stages of advocacy
5.1 Blogging
5.2 Demonstrations
Could show up as Meteorologists predicting the threats posed by stormcloud computing
5.3 Expect a backlash from what have been traditonally been some "open source" supporters
Eg, Google, much of the Rails and "web 2.0" community…
Date: 2009-06-17 08:23:26 CDT
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