Up, Up, and, Which Way? Let Me Hop Online and See…
Last week, Marc Benioff wrote an article on TechCruch titled “Hello, iPad. Hello, Cloud 2.”
In it, Mr. Benioff (chairman and CEO of salesforce.com) writes:
Our industry has gone through many shifts, but ultimately, the big ones have always been about software, not hardware. Now, we are seeing a simultaneous software and hardware revolution. The key apps we use in productivity, collaboration, communication, entertainment, education, and even health, will all be rewritten to take advantage of the new capabilities. This will result in a new generation that looks more like Facebook on the iPad than Yahoo on the PC. Our industry is changing. We all need to step up to meet this change head-on or we will leave an incredible opportunity behind.
His article discusses how new (mobile) hardware, such as Apple’s iPad, lends itself to the evolution of computing habits and, points out that many large companies haven’t even reached the Cloud layer–still stuck on mainframes.
The article singled out what he considers to be Cloud 1.0 sites (Google, eBay, Amazon) and names social networking giants Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube to Cloud 2.0 sites… I find his distinction to be pretty right-on; as someone long fascinated with technology and its role in society, I appreciated his analysis.
Cloud 1.0 vs Cloud 2.0
To me, what really seems to stand out about the transition from Cloud 1 to Cloud 2 is more the shift toward the “personal” (than it is evolution in the hardware driving it…though I do admit the line can be blurry when it comes to such enabling factors…) The biggest commonality I see among YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook is that they rely heavily on individuals (rather than businesses/institutions) to contribute content.
Cloud 2.0 Sites Succeed because They Cater to the Ultimate Niche Market–You!
These Cloud 2.0 websites play into the trend of finding success in niche markets (through targeting unserved & underserved groups)–I mean, how much more niche could you get than an individual? (and how much more ‘catered to’ could you make someone feel than providing a customizable solution, updateable on a whim?)
Unfortunately, it’s a bit difficult to apply the efficiency of more-traditional successful business practices (like the assembly-line & one-size-fits-most models) when the niche is every single individual. A big part of the success of services like those of Cloud 2 is due to the ability of these sites to integrate new ways of thinking to get as close to these individual targets as possible.
The Weeds Grew In While I Was Busy Thinking About Me
I whole-heartedly believe that “Cloud 3″ will be a hybrid of Clouds 1 & 2–-a product of the return toward the void that will be created when everyone exists as his own niche market, rather than a community/collective.
Not Everybody is on the FaceBook-Bandwagon…
There’s a lot of disinterest in the Twitter/FaceBook/YouTube culture… For many of us, it has to do with the nature of such sites and the appeal that comes with their being ‘outlets’ to find/define one’s identity (read: Teen-Magnets.)
For some it’s more of a malaise, for others, however, there seems to be more of a stigma; either way, love it or not, there’s no denying that anyone who fails to see the value of trying to understand the powerful social (and potential economic) influence such sites have will miss the boat.