Random Comments About Software & The "cloud"

[Tru Red]

"Cloud Based". Real meaning.....losing even more control of our data and paying even more for the software because all those servers (there is no computer in the clouds) cost a lot of money and the consumer (us) ultimately pays the cost. Just my opinion, your results may vary.

Not all technology is good technology. It doesn't all benefit the end user. Technology companies are always trying to invent the next big thing. Has anyone noticed how all this technology has saved us thousands and thousands of dollars? Me neither. Because it all has a cost and the layers keep getting thicker, year after year.

I promise everyone.....the software companies will ALL put a spin on this. Oh no...it's secure. You'll have options to use or not use the cloud. On and on and on.

 

[glenn walker]

Technology is a battle you can't fight and as far as losing control of your data most of it was never ours anyway.

 

[Tru Red]

Technology is a battle you can't fight and as far as losing control of your data most of it was never ours anyway.

Perhaps......but I'll keep fighting for all of us appraisers anyways.... because it's the right thing to do.

 

[Evincere]

Perhaps......but I'll keep fighting for all of us appraisers anyways.... because it's the right thing to do.

I have never intentionally or knowingly sent my files to the cloud for safe keeping and data mining . I store them as PDFs and the Xmls on a back up hard drive.

 

[hastalavista]

... and as far as losing control of your data most of it was never ours anyway.

Agreed. Data mining, for residential mortgage work, occurs regardless if the form is stand-alone or shared on a cloud platform.

As long as I can keep a "True copy" of my final report(s), it doesn't matter to me if the form software is located on my hardware or somewhere else.

Anyone accidentally send a report to the wrong client? I have, about 15 years ago. Embarrassing and potentially a USPAP violation (I called my regulator once I discovered the error and they advised me on the procedure to follow to ensure I took the steps to maintain USPAP compliance). Working on a network would eliminate that potential (presumably).

As far as the fees going up, seems to me that my standalone software fees regularly increase.
If anything, I would think that the cloud platform would allow appraisers going from an annual subscription to a monthly subscription; maybe more on an annual basis, but for some, easier to absorb in their cash flow patterns.

 

[DWiley]

I saw a t-shirt that hit the nail on the head - there is no such thing as "the cloud." It is just someone else's computer

 

[TRESinc]

Has anyone noticed how all this technology has saved us thousands and thousands of dollars?

thousands? nope, haven't seen that but haven't been promised that either. i can now however go buy a netbook instead of a laptop for significantly less, but without usage of the cloud the netbook isn't really worth buying.

I saw a t-shirt that hit the nail on the head - there is no such thing as "the cloud." It is just someone else's computer

so true... but imagine if a company was honest - move to us and we can store all your information on our computer instead of yours!

doesn't sound nearly as nice as being stored "in the cloud".

 

[Fargo1]

I personally have very mixed thoughts on 'the cloud'. I agree with everything the OP said. However, I also have much dislike for Windows. (The software itself as well as the company behind it.) It infuriates me that one company controls the operating system that underlies 85% of all desktop computers. It bothers me so much that I left Windows 6 years ago and moved to Linux... Or at least I tried. Due to their monopoly and control of the OS, I am still stuck using Windows inside a virtual machine on my Linux box to run my appraisal software. The 'cloud' is my only ticket out. I would prefer to use software that installed directly in Linux, but I don't see that happening any time soon. Not until Linux has 20%+ of the market share will we see software written for cross platform solutions. That market share won't happen until there is a disruptive technology that breaks Microsofts monopoly on the OS. The cloud is that disruptive technology.

Is it really that big of a deal that MS controls 85% the desktop market, you may ask? Well, maybe not. But now that I have a good taste of Linux and how great it is to have an operating system that I control, and not a system that controls me, I simply can't go back to Windows. I prefer Linux so much more that I am willing to deal with a ton of other headaches in order to use the operating system I prefer.

My hope is that with the use of cloud software we will see more people turn to Linux or Apple computers once they are free from software that requires MS Windows. Then I hope that companies will realize there is a bigger market share for other operating systems and they will write software that is cross platform compatible. Then I hope we can get rid of all this cloud non-sense and get back to real software that runs on my own hardware where I can store all my data locally.

So for me I see the whole 'cloud' thing as a stop gap providing the way to OS independence.

 

[Tru Red]

The appraisal business has been good for me since I got into it. I knew appraisers when I worked in banking, from the early 1990's. I watched and listened to them. That is part of what prompted me to get into the business as well, joining in the mid 2000's.

Someone wrote you can't fight technology and that most of the data was not ours to begin with. I agree for the most part.

It doesn't make what appears to be happening to the appraisers in this country right.

I can fight and resist technology to the extent that it doesn't affect my bottom line. I can still make a good living. I'm fortunate in that I'm not in my 20's or 30's anymore. For the younger appraisers I don't see a lot of positives going forward.

I see less income. More control by AMC's, someone referred to it as an "ankle bracelet". More cost as more technology comes to the forefront.

And then there are hybrid appraisals and AVM's and other options that lenders can use to provide an opinion of value.

Where is the appraisal industry headed? Who knows. I'm just happy to not have to rely on it for my source of income for the next 30 + years.

 

[Renee Healion]

Remember the guy some years back whose appraisals were plastered all over the internet? Some forumites concluded that he used the same computer to file share music and vids and included his work folders. Now THAT'S bad clouding.