Software running on the server has a few different characteristics than running locally.
- Software running on the server has a few different characteristics than running locally.
- 1) You can expect it to run 24/7 (with minor blips).
- This is a minor one in the grand scheme of things, more just a convenience.
- But it sets a baseline you can comfortably assume.
- 2) You can collaborate with other users, directly and indirectly.
- Directly: collaborate on a Google Doc.
- Indirectly: your data can be aggregated with others' to come up with recommendation signals for everyone.
- Collaboration is the primary value of the cloud.
- You can create collaboration without the cloud but it is orders of magnitude more difficult for the same amount of user visible functionality.
- 3) The owner of the server can see and control your data.
- Eep!
- This is the monkey trap springing.
- We come in for the convenience and collaboration, and then also hand over the control to our data.
- Now that another entity has our data, they can rent it back to us… or even hold it hostage.
- TEEs allow flipping the power dynamic, so you can verify the entity running the server can't peek inside and do anything with your data you don't want them to.
- That, combined with easy migration and backup, flips the power dynamic.