Terrifying Uncertainty

iCloud offers wonderful promise as a mechanism to free us all from the need to organise and manage our data. Unfortunately, the whole package isn’t there yet, and that’s a big problem for the users. <p>We’re impoverished, in terms of documentation. For example, what it can do, what it can’t do; when it will work, and when it won’t work. That’s a lot of uncertainty, especially when core to the concept is storing our precious data, and presumably without the need to worry about where and what it is. ‘Just all available everywhere, when you need it.’ That’s fine, if it is, but the current release, only really integrates the iOS devices, not the desktop. Now I appreciate that we’re probably going to be getting more mobile, but, I’m guessing that most people still produce and manipulate most of their content (90% or more) on the desktop, and many spend most of their working day in front of a computer. Needing to use iTunes or a browser to access iCloud documents, just ain’t right. If iCloud is going to be of use, it needs to be integrated across devices, and either in a way that there is never any problem (not currently the case) or in a predictable or documented way.</p> <p>Why would anyone use it now? You have to manage your documents to get them on or off the desktop, and then you can’t be sure you’ll have them available when you need them. So much more effort than, for example, Dropbox. Let’s hope that its early-adopter pain, but why didn’t Apple hold off until all the pieces were in place, given the huge efforts they have clearly made.</p>