Medieval scholars believed that the Earth was the center of all things before the “Copernican Revolution.” Similarly, we have seen a dominance in postmodern thought when it comes to the individual and the self. The universe revolves around each of us. This can even be seen in the personal computer, and the work station, which are far more “client sided” than the early computers that came heretofore.

Another paradigm shift is taking place in information technology. Cooperative, open source technologies and philosophies are being applied in the realm of “cloud computing”. It could be regarded as a fusion of the mainframe-terminal, client-server paradigm and the PC paradigm that preceded it, an embracing of the best of both of these worlds.

In the Fifties, you needed an engineering degree to use a computer. In the 2000s, anyone could use computers thanks to the software that runs in the background, allowing user friendly interfaces to be manipulated so that only limited knowledge is required to operate an application. Cloud computing employs technology in cyberspace so that a client or user relinquishes some of the control over their software. Software bugs are ironed out by experts in this computer cloud – residing on the Internet or through the use of Web technologies – so any glitches that were previously encountered are a thing of the past. And in the past, when a computer application crashed for seemingly no reason, and could not be relaunched, if there were no warranties or guarantees, computer support may have been thin on the ground. Cloud computing will address issues that can be resolved via virtual hosts, who often provide more than just a data storage center that can be remotely written to. Business or stock market oriented applications that require a level of streamlining and efficiency or medical documentation that requires peer review all have a relevance in the world of cloud computing.