Geeks like us hear the words “cloud computing” almost every day, using it ourselves to explain a host of different online-based services.
But how do folks in the heartland or other less tech-savvy places feel about cloud computing? Well, there’s still a ways to go in terms of grasping the concept, if a new survey commissioned by Citrix is to be believed.
The national survey found that a majority of Americans — 54 percent — claim to never use cloud computing. However, 95 percent of that group actually did use a cloud-based service such as online banking, shopping, social networking or storing digital media.
Meanwhile, a majority of 1,006 respondents thought cloud computing was connected to the weather, and that stormy weather could interfere with cloud computing. (Actually, that’s not too far-fetched given the power outages at Amazon.com’s Virginia data center back in June, they may have a reason to believe this).
“These survey responses show there is a significant disconnect between what Americans know, what they pretend to know, and what they actually do when it comes to cloud computing,” the study said.
Our media partner, KING 5, took the results of the survey to the streets and asked Seattle residents what they think of cloud computing.
“I guess I feel like I’m still in a cloud if you’re talking about a cloud with a computer,” Deb Clark told KING 5. “I have no idea what the cloud is.” (They obviously weren’t asking people near South Lake Union, Amazon.com’s HQ, or Redmond, home to Microsoft).
Joe Fryer’s full report here, which also includes interviews with Decide.com’s Shauna Causey and University of Washington computer science professor Bill Howe.
Hat tip to our media partner KING 5.
