I think that marketers like “cloud computing” because it is devoid of substantive meaning. The term’s meaning is not substance, it’s an attitude: ‘Let any Tom, Dick and Harry hold your data, let any Tom, Dick and Harry do your computing for you (and control it).’ Perhaps the term ‘careless computing’ would suit it better.
Richard Stallman holds forth on ChromeOS (and cloud computing in general). Methinks he is not impressed. He also raises some interesting points on government prying, and their improved ability to pry if your data is in the cloud; though it is my understanding that they’d still need a warrant even for remotely stored information. That’s really what that email judgment was all about. Perhaps his concern falls more into the “they won’t even bother” department…
Lemkin 