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Andrey “Rarst” Savchenko —  — Thoughts — cloud, security

Are we going to shed most of software?

Every time I hear about yet another mobile app store I roll my eyes. Who is willing to go for hardware, natively incapable to run anything outside of locked down and tightly (too tightly) controlled list of applications?

On other hand there is clearly percentage of people willing for such deal. Are they crazy? Or are they simply early adopters of what awaits desktop software segment as well?

No more software to fix software

Every time I go over my toolkit it unpleasantly amazes me just how many software titles I keep just to fix stuff. Home computing is always going bonkers with backwards incompatibility, software incompatibility and simply bad code that busts things.

We accept that software breaks as fact of life. But it should not be that way.

There are practices that produce good, efficient, portable and stable software. Software that works, doesn’t break things and doesn’t deteriorate with time. Get to 100% of such and you will never need software to fix things again.

Time to get security right

Running a lot of software is nice and interesting, but from security side it is sheer madness. Default permit is crazy yet omnipresent.

We ran a lot of software and more software to fix security, breached by running that much software. And when we complain we go to look for even more software.

Reboot security paradigms, make computing foundation nice and safe – and suddenly huge amount of security apps is no longer needed.

Takes water to make clouds

Cloud computing is not shiny new stuff to do. It is shiny new way to do old boring stuff.

I am certain that cloud won’t ever replace desktop software. It will however replace a lot of software by being robust and safe alternative. Online services don’t expect you to fix and clean malware. They are there so you don’t have to.

Despite cloud limitations it will cannibalize desktop software to some extent.

And why some scream and kick

Software developer is only a tiny cog in the machine. And user is merely dust those cogs grind.

Global computing trends are not set by them. They are set by governments and companies. Entities that can be driven by profiting from making people happy or making people miserable either.

A lot of new technology is met with negative lobbying and accusations of trying to upset the order of things. Duh, things suck as it is. We need new tech and changes it brings. But we are wary (rightfully) of agenda it comes with.

Overall

Do you believe that some day browser, office suite and media center will remain only software you need? Or path of myriads of apps and half that many to fix them is path set in stone?

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7 Comments

  • iggi #

    What can I say about it? Big Brother is finally going to watch us all. Unfortunately, when corporations and governments talk about security, they mean not security for people, but their own security against people.

  • The DataRat #

    . With the incredible number of background programs and utilities I run simultaneously (multiples of what a "normal" user runs), I'm amazed at how ~few~ program conflicts and associated glitches I have ! Avast, Short Keys, Ad-Aware, Google Desktop, Spybot, Clip-X, Everything, FileBox eXtender, Super F4, Actual Window Guard, Actual Title Buttons, Answer.com Bar, Desk Drive, Live Mesh, Handy Folders, Send 2 Back, Display Fusion, Type It In. Sheesh ! And all these on top of the more generic processes like Dell Touch Pad. My machine ~should~ be exploding ! But it doesn't. . The PC Rat .

  • kelltic #

    I don't know the answer to your question. I can only say, I hope not. I do not care AT ALL for the idea of all my "stuff" floating around in the clouds. What I do care for is all the wonderful programs that run on my nice stable system. I can move them around any way I like. I can make them look any way I want. No one else can touch them, hack them, make changes to them that I don't like, or render them useless, or stop me from accessing them. They all work just fine whether or not I have an internet connection. What happens to people - and yes, they are out there - who are on dialup? Do these web apps work for them? I get online in the a.m. just to check out what's going on in the software/computing world. Then I open Thunderbird and check my email. After that, I turn off my connection and work - with my own applications. That is the way I want it. Oh yeah - and I hate Google and I hate Big Brother and I am beginning to hate the US government. Grrrrr.

  • The DataRat #

    . Like or not, the Cloud is coming ! Got nothing to do with personal preferences and predilections. And, yes, folks with dial-up will be even more screwed than they are now. You can't stay generations behind the technology curve and expect it to be pleasant ! You can hate Google, the Government, and your Mom, and it won't matter. . The DataRat .

  • Rarst #

    @iggi Pretty much... But I think that such situation when government puts pressure on privacy - it creates an opportunities (business including) for others to provide that privacy. Things like open source cryptography aren't born out of curiosity, but out of need. Even negative stimulus can cause improvement. @DataRat And I see quite a few in your list that is exactly software to fix software. Be it malware infestations or interface shortcomings. Wouldn't it be nice to move on from being content with it to not needing it? :) @kelltic Cloud is merely part of equation. It solves many issues, but nothing that software can't do. It's just that software must struggle to get some things right, that cloud gets done out of the box.

  • kelltic #

    @Data Rat Should have kept my old typewriter. Well, at least my calculator is in good shape. Many folks who stick with dialup are doing it because they have no choice. Others because of the cost. Right now I have DSL but in a few years, I will no longer be able to afford it, so it will be dialup or nothing. Yeah, I know they don't care if I hate them or not. I was just voicing my feelings - while I'm still allowed.

  • Rarst #

    Hey, no fighting. :) I know first hand how excruciatingly crappy it is to have bad Internet connection. I can only say it does get better over time. It took me years to move from dialup to really crappy DSL to really decent connection (at long last).