Cloud Services vs. Local Linux Installs

Grazed from Datamation. Author: Bruce Byfield.

When should you choose cloud services and when a local Linux installation? For years, cloud services have been spreading like an out-of-control bushfire. From mega-corporations to the individual owners of a Chromebook, users are outsourcing their infrastructures, passing their administration and their data to third party applications on the Internet.

Software companies are investing heavily in cloud services, and every indication is that they will continue to do so — at least, until the next development fad comes along. Yet is cloud computing really making local computing obsolete? Depending on your priorities, a strong case can still be made for local computing, especially local computing with Linux and free and open source software…

The Case for the Cloud

Probably, you’ve heard the claims before: Cloud services are all about short term convenience. Typically, cloud-based software is free, and extra storage is available at a nominal cost. Updates are free. Since the software you are using isn’t on your computers, the provider is responsible for fixing problems. Not only that, but your data is always available, regardless of what machine you are on or where you happen to be…

Read more from the source @ http://www.datamation.com/cloud-computing/cloud-services-vs.-local-linux-installs.html