@Dan JOhnson
"Another uninformed comment."
I doubt it :-)
"Cloud computing, which IBM actually invented back in the 50's and 60's under another name, IS centralized computing"
Duh. That's why I used the phrase. Trust me, Mr. JOhnson, I was probably speaking SNA before you were out of three cornered pants. I own functional examples of IBM 1401 and System/360-20 computers, and an IBM 650 that I'm in the process of restoring (I also have functional examples of a Honeywell 316, a Burroughs B2000, and the next project, an Amdahl 470 V5, if I ever get all the parts together). I understand mainframes. I know what they are, and what they are good at.
That said, the business model of the mainframe shop is a dinosaur. YES, there are places where centralized computing makes sense. But for the vast majority of home users and small businesses? Nope. Costs too much, and adds over-all complexity to the situation, neither of which are positives. And for medium to big businesses, it makes sense to keep it all in-house for many more reasons, starting with security.
Today's "cloud computing" is more about marketing droids separating fools from their money than it is about anything else. IMO, anyway.