Is the Cloud overrated?

[KThunder]

these big companies want to control everything. every scrap of data on your machine every program you use, everything. Microsoft with os and apps, valve with steam and game control updates etc. apple with content etc.
i think this is one of the reasons gaming on the pc has lost out to consoles. you cant get a game toss it in and play like a console and you cant install and play like before, you have to install and register, and update and update and update. they strangled the life out of the platform.
some people use computers for online stuff, facebook etc. and for them with a fast connection cloud is fine. even some apps like office and others work ok with a cloud computing setup.
i saw a show about startrek once that said it was unrealistic because noone uses centralized computing anymore but it looks like we might be moving back to that.

[KThunder]

@hell labs

i would change my mind in a second about steam if i was the only one who complained about it and had problems. they have had network problems, they have been hacked etc.
google steam problems or check out wikopedia etc.
i can definitely see benefits in a good update system, however once again im not the only one seeing problems with it. publishers are using it as a crutch. the marketing guys set this rediculous release date so we will leave some bugs in and require an update right off the bat.
as for owning the game forever i dont think thats much of a deal i have playstation 1 games and xbox games that play flawlessly (and without updates)
afaik you still cant sell games youve bought on steam like this crappy racing game i bought

[KThunder]

btw pc game market has lost. it is almost totally stagnant. the console market has exploded in the last 5 years or so and the pc game market has lost ground. Get almost any game mag (i subscribe to game informer) and you will see at least 5 games for each console to every single pc game. advertising for pc games is almost nonexistant.

it always has been the higher priced niche but it was also always a much large niche. i think the problem started when graphics card makers wanted to release a new card every 6-8 months. noone wants that. console makers are shooting for a 7-10 year lifespan for their systems. that is much more in line with reality for most people.  2 grand every year for a new gaming pc or 400 for a console, not a tough call.
game publishers have also stepped away from mainstream computing. at least 50% of all pcs today regardless of all other things have integrated graphics chipset or older graphics card not a top of the line ati or nvidia card.

[KThunder]

Have any of you thought that a forum dedicated to a long dead computer system, that supports a community that barely has functional browsers might not be the place to look for the most valid opinions related to new ideas in computing?

i cant speak for anyone else but i am up on most of the new technologies that are out. i see the value of good efficient software and hardware, and i use computers everyday for study as i am a full time student with half my classes online. i use cloud computing system literally every day and i do see value in them for specific applications definitely not for everything though.

i dont think any of us is exclusively using any long dead computer system. i do use aros which is not long or dead. do you use amigas?

[KThunder]

the future is nanite droplets that create a display right on your eyes and in your ears the same nanites detect that they are in your ear and produce perfect audio. as the lithium ion batteries die your body gets rid of them and new nanite drops replace them.