Moving Closer To The Cloud

Why do we have to deal with computer crashes anymore? Why do we still have to deal with data being lost or corrupted?

In getting uncomfortable, I’m beginning to realize that as great as technology is, we not only need and want it to do more, but we expect it. It’s both sad that we’re like this and a tremendous opportunity for the next generation of entrepreneurs and marketers. This week, I switched over to a MacBook Pro (but, I do still love my Microsoft apps, so I am running vmware fusion) and watched one of our senior IT people grapple with the conversion of my documents and settings over to the new platform.

It’s never as simple and easy as people say and think it is.

In trying to figure out the best way to transfer all of the data and create a seamless transition where no emails, addresses, meetings, notes, personal photos got lost (yes, we’re moving to an Exchange type of server system soon, but we’re not there yet), we got to the point where I said, “can’t we just put everything online and have me work from the cloud?” You’re probably reading this and thinking, “yes, you can!” but the real answer is, “you sort of can, but it’s not the same and it’s not as easy as you may think.” One of the major reasons to make this type of transfer is so that we never have to deal with it again when I get a new computer, but the one major reason that is holding us back is my travel schedule. So, if I can’t access my email, calendar, notes, etc… while flying at 35,000 feet, it’s not all that useful to have my stuff in the cloud. At the same time, platforms like Google do have their Google Gears applications that enable you to work offline, but I’ve been getting mixed messages about the stability and real functionality of the tool.

I’d pay to get a real solution.

This is the gold for Marketers: I’m not looking to use Gmail because it’s free. I’m looking for a simple, solid and easy solution. The companies that provide this are the ones who have the big wins. They’re the ones who make the money, and they’re the ones who never complain about having to give up so much of their products and services for free. The person who can take everything we’re doing in platforms like Outlook and make it simple to export and transfer to a cloud-based service that also has similar/better tools will win (which is why so many companies like the Microsoft Exchange platform). Keep in mind, the Digital Nomad continues to rise and many of the newer companies simply don’t have the financial resources to go the Exchange route, so there must be a very large market of small to medium-sized business owners that would love to have the ability to really move towards the cloud.

Or am I missing something?