Cloud PR fail: 95% use a cloud service, 51% think weather
flickr/Prime Tambayong
Citrix survey of 1,000 American adults reveals more than half believe stormy weather can cause “cloud computing” problems.
Despite the slight majority who confuse cloud computing with cloudy weather, including the majority of young adults (Millennials) surveyed, 97 percent of those surveyed use cloud services already. Whether shopping, banking, email, social networking or other examples, the people confused about cloud services rely on them constantly.
This points to a PR problem, since the “cloud” metaphor has been poorly conceived and even more poorly marketed by companies in the space. But one in five people surveyed admitted they tried to bluff about cloud knowledge, while 56 percent believe others are bluffing when talking cloud.
Explanations
And 65% of Americans think that they are smarter than the average American. It all makes sense.
C G on businessinsider.com
I've been a network administrator for over twenty years and we always used a cloud or clouds in our diagram as "all the stuff over/out there that we need to access but we don't know (or need to know) the details.
Gary Goldberg on slate.com
The stupid is huge with some people.
TomSEA on techspot.com
Confused
I weep for my country.
Sniped_Ash on techspot.com
No surprise here. Most people I have spoke to about cloud computing at first have no idea what it is
Robert Johnson on businessinsider.com
The sales guys who pitch me their remote hosted / cloud services drive me up the wall when they insist that even in a power outage their service is up. It doesn't matter if I can't access it
PatrickinHouston on slate.com
Not so stupid
The study was so stupid. People know the cloud isn't actually in the cloud but they do understand how thunderstorms affect the grid and how that might play a role in the stability of the cloud. Looks like people laughing at this assessment are the stupid ones.
Superunamused on businessinsider.com
Cloud computing to me is designed to confuse people about what you are actually doing to charge them more.
Chad on slate.com
Not to mention the other professions that 90% of the population knows nothing about. I don't mind being one who knows absolutely nothing about certain professions.
cliffordcooley on techspot.com
What definition do you use to explain cloud computing to non-techies?
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