There's too many variables here.  Cloud storage, cloud services, cloud etc.

I'll take the advantages of it over the disadvantages.  I can access my data from any device, wherever I'm at.  Don't have to worry about local storage options, or having a way to get to that data if needed.

Like it or not, that's the way the future computing will be.

it’s not bad to be paranoid in fact it’s always better to be than not to
That increases interest about the subject and you are more likely to read into the topic and get educated about the fine printed stuff.
I would even say that keeping your pc and your personal information safe requires a little paranoia
But you should be aware that there is much more “live” in other tools to be found than in the fluffylittlecloud

As with any cloud, its existence doesn't bother me. It is what may fall out of it, where and how much of it that concerns me.

 That's just it!  If you can access 'your' data from the Cloud, so can others.  Okay, you can say that you don't put any sensitive/personal data there, but what if the people who chose to abuse the Cloud can access the uploading PC from the Cloud... and that PC holds sensitive/personal information? 

It's all well and good to say that's not possible, but not all that long ago it was thought accessing PCs remotely wasn't possible.  Thing is, some bright spark came up with a way... and now that system is abused by multitudes of proliferators of malware. 

I'm not saying the technology is bad.  In fact it is brilliant, but like all things good, there are those who will abuse it to their own ends and turn it into something you need to be cautious of.

After losing a drive with photos, documents and skin backups, I have considered Cloud storage as an extra backup source, it's just that I've been otherwise occupied and haven't really looked into it properly as yet.... whether or not I trust it.  By that I mean whether my data is safe from loss or corruption.  If local storage drives can die or become unviable, then what about those data banks of the Cloud?  Are they sufficiently backed up or does the system fail if a major part fails bigtime?

These are questions I need to answer before I upload anything... and then there are the concerns of data and identity theft.  While that's possible down here on Terra Firma, does placing data on the cloud open more avenues to my personal stuff?  Like somebody once said to me, the greater your electronic/digital footprint becomes the more susceptible you are to digitally bad things happening.

I agree with neone6 and benmanns, it pays to be a little paranoid, otherwise you become too accepting and trusting of things, and that could lead to undesirable consequences if one is not vigilant. True, not all things are bad/going to bite you in the bum, but maintaining some paranoia might just keep out the one heading your way that is.

And you can bet persons with dubious backgrounds considered this long before we came to debate it.

As soon as something new and innovative is announced, much less released to the public, persons of disreputable character are asking: "Now how can we exploit this to our best advantage?"

Something my father always used to say: "Trust noone, tell 'em nothing and take 'em nowhere."

It might have worked in his day, when there were bugger all electronics to abuse, but in this day and age you don't have to say or do much and there it is... all over Google, your life history and when you last took a leak hehe.

Hello folks!

  Pardon my intrusion, but I find this topic very interesting and would like to add my two cents.

First, a little introduction: This is my first ever post here, although I've been using Windowblinds for some few years. I was so happy to find it because I absolutely loathe and despise the ugliness of Windows. Seven was a slight improvement over XP, but you know what I mean.

For the first couple years I had the program, I searched in vain for a skin like what I envisioned: Futuristic with black, shiny glass and transparencies. I found one skin that came close, but was broken for some reason or other, so settled for another skin that I used for a long while. Then, I eventually found Vampothica's skins. That was more like it! Shortly thereafter, I fell over the astounding, fantastic, breath-taking creations of neone6. Oh-my-GOD!!!

So, I've been worshipping at the altar of neone6 ever since. Today, I came to see if I could find any more about my all-time favorite skin: Cypher, when I found Legend! I instantly downloaded it and then found comments saying it was to be the last - wait, last? ...skin...

So, I finally went to the forum to find out what happened, and here I am. Hi!

Well, that's me. On to the topic at hand:

My observation is that the thing that really drives changes to society, perhaps even more than the pursuit of cash, is convenience. This has been observed in every human culture in the World, throughout all time periods in history. Why wash clothes in a tub, when a machine can do it for you? Why walk to work when a big machine with wheels can carry you? Likewise, why be dependant on servers you have to buy, when you can just tap into community servers when you need to?

Did you guys watch the video posted on the first page of this thread? Go back and take a look if you haven't; it's pretty short. This video doesn't teach us a thing about how the cloud system works, but what it does teach us is that the cloud is convenient! Saves time, money, and effort! It also teaches us that the average joe isn't the one who's going to invest in (or directly use, except in certain situations) the cloud. It's the big, or small but successful web companies that have already glommed on to it. By this point, it's already established, and will be the way forward. The average joe is already caught up in it, without ever even knowing it, because the websites he goes to regularly are already there. If you use the Internet, you're already in the cloud. Another thing I found very interesting about the video is: He blatantly says "Do you really care what server your information is going to, or where it is?" Err, well, yes as a matter of fact I do! Duh!

However, since it is human nature to seek evermore for convenience, this is what we have. The thing that tends to get overlooked in the rush forward is the cost. Convenience, you see, always comes with cost. Steep cost, at that. But neveryoumind, my lad! It's progress! Makes life easier! Land of milk & honey! Yep, yep. 

Well, that's my two cent's worth, anyway; and very pleased to make all of your acquaintences. 

And it is this convenience... or should I say laziness in multitudes of cases, that makes it so easy for companies and abusers of the tech to exploit the average joe.  While the companies provide goods and/or services for a price, in the case Cloud computing, the abusers are riding on their coat tails, which means you pay twice when your date and/or identity is stolen.

Well actually, you pay more than twice!  When your data and/or identity is stolen you pay many, many more times than what it cost to purchase the original service.  For mine, the penalties for cyber crime are far too lax and should be toughened up to equate with armed robbery/bank robbery... because the trauma of having one's identity stolen can be as horrendous as any other property theft, if not moreso.

That's how it is sold to us: "It's progress." and/or "The land of milk and honey.".... and by the time we evaluate the cost it is too late, we are caught up in the machinations of progress whether we want to participate or not.  I never liked the idea of Google and what it represents, and I do not knowingly or willingly use its products.  I will not use its browser or other desktop conveniences, but I often find myself going to You Tube, most often via a posted link, but also when I want to find old or obscure music clips. 

I know citing Google is going off topic a little, but it is the likes of Google who are driving the Cloud issue... selling it to us like it is a 'must have' and beating up its importance to us, so it's as you say, the companies create and provide the tech while the ordinary bloke gets swallowed up in its path. 

Another driver of getting on the 'band wagon', so to speak, is keeping up with the Jonses.  I don't know how many times I've watched neighbours competing to have the best and newest of everything to outdo one another.  Personally, I can't be bothered with all that rubbish and get what I want and need, when I want or need it.  The one thing I do like, however, is the newest, greatest PC hardware, not because I'm competing with anyone else to have it first or anything, but as a hobby and to better my previous builds so they keep abreast of innovation

Google:

One account to rule them all,

one account to find them,

one account to bring them all,

and on the Internet bind them!

Having said, I now find YouTube, in general, much more enjoyable than television. However, since Google took it over it has become worse and worse. Videos that once were free to view now come with a fee. Also, the merging of YouTube with google + was a botch job and equivalent to throwing a wrench in the works.

Andy, my apologies if I embarrassed you, but you really are the greatest Windows skinner alive, you know (and not meaning to insult anyone else who does it). Also, thanks for the info., and for not retiring!

I'd also like to ask you, is it alright to PM you? I have some questions about some of your blinds that I've been wanting to ask for ages. I'm loving Legend, BTW. It just might replace Cypher as my all-time favorite.

To privately say shit you can't say publicly without getting into trouble.

Mind you, there's quite a bit of shit you can get away with before it hitting the fan.

After that things get messy and you'll get a rap across the knuckles with a Jafo cane.

And let me tell you, I got it once, and it hurt for weeks later... so be warned, do the real naughty stuff in PMs.

Yeah, bouncing off the freakin' walls again.... to much time on my hands.  It's like I get to a certain point of tiredness, and if I miss it, the opportunity to sleep has passed for yet another night.  So, with no hope of sleep now, i had a shower to freshen myself up before tackling some housework.  It hasn't been done for a few days.  Bloody maid.. either pissed off or went on strike.  In either event, the place looks like a seaside brothel when the fleet's in, too busy to clean, and while it's a mongrel of a job, somebody's gotta do it... and that somebody is me... unless!

Hmmm, my niece has her daughter here... aka as my great niece.  Dunno what's great about her, nah, not really, but if i offer her 20 bucks...... see where I'm going with this, and while she's cleaning I could be working on my new rig, purloining parts from this beasty to put in that.

Anyway, in getting back to the OP, whatever I decide to do today, I will be contemplating my bellybutton because the Cloud will give me nightmares, if and when I get to sleep.... at night again.. 

For anyone who can't do the conversion, it's 5.08am here right now.... bye.

This isn't exactly about the cloud, but I thought you might find it interesting, none-the-less. Sorry if it preys on your sleeping habits all the more...

http://techbeat.com/2014/02/googles-world-domination-plan/

http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/06/why-i-have-nothing-to-hide-is-the-wrong-way-to-think-about-surveillance/

http://arstechnica.com/security/2012/08/passwords-under-assault/

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/11/ff-mat-honan-password-hacker/all/

Nothing naughty planned for the PM's. Just didn't want to be rude.

Likewise...

Thank you very much!

OK, if you are interested in cloud technology, when you can access any of you information on any device, Android, desktop, laptop, whatever, the you might think about your own personal at home Cloud drive. I just hooked up my Western Digital 4TB Personal MyCloud drive today, and moved a lot of information to it. It can only be accessed by me or those to whom I allow access, so it is great! I can access my data from anywhere if I am connected to the Internet, and it is secure and safe. So if you like the Cloud, but don't like the security of the offerings where others can possibly see your information, you might want to consider this, and it is relatively inexpensive. With taxes and everything I paid $244US for a 4TB drive! Not only that, but I hooked my 1TB external to it via the USB port, and now I have 5TB's! It's going to take me a while to fill that up!

Thanks for the info, Tom, I have seen those WD drives advertised but haven't really looked into how they work.  Seems like a great idea and I will look into it further once I've recovered financially from my new build.

Edit: Just horsing around.

-Since I wrote the post to stir up some paranoia I just feel I should follow up on it. No disrespect intended.

People who don't have the 'luxury' of unlimited uploads/downloads [like me] are going to take YEARS to afford to fill something like that...and then pay every time you 'do something' with it.

Lan connectivity doesn't 'cost'.

25gig per month is 20 months....if I do nothing else BUT fill it.....something like $1600.

In a word....no way, Jose.

OK.... 3 words....