Via ARS Technica
By Ryan Paul | Published: September 30, 2008 – 09:35AM CT
Free Software Foundation founder Richard Stallman spent yesterday condemning cloud computing and is calling for users to reject popular web applications. He insists that reliance on web-based software poses a serious risk to freedom and privacy. Cloud computing is just a “hype campaign” perpetrated by software vendors who want to control users, he says, and the only way to fight the problem is to stop using the software.
Cloud computing is one of the most significant emerging trends in the technology industry. Users are becoming increasingly reliant on web applications and remote data storage solutions. The popularity of cloud computing is climbing in both enterprise and consumer markets, and the trend is widely regarded as a game-changing advancement in software deployment and consumption. In light of the growing importance of cloud computing, Stallman’s call for its rejection warrants both scrutiny and skepticism.
