Category: Business

The Bottomless Cloud by Thomas Koulopoulos & David Friend.

Sub-titled “How AI the next generation of the cloud and abundance thinking will radically transform the way you do business” the authors have provided a small book with projections for the future that are as mind-boggling as others in the growing number of similar predictions; i.e., the fact that the world is being overwhelmed with data and that some means of dealing with it is mandatory. It is reported that Japan estimates that if data centers continue to grow, they will consume all of the country’s energy output by 2030. By 2200 “Even with most conservative estimates, we will exceed the capacity to store one bit on every atom that makes up the earth.” Even now, the authors tell us that two-thirds of companies claim data storage costs are their number one data challenge. According to those deeply involved in business, as well as those on the more forward reaches of innovation, the cloud has become a focal point of consideration and, as described by the authors, activities by Google, Amazon and others certainly are going to accelerate the much needed activity so we move quickly beyond the present early phase.

Discussion: This small book offers another interesting projection for the future. It also suggests ways of altering one’s procedures and a corporation must think about “How AI the next generation of the cloud and abundance thinking will radically transform the way you do business.” It provides a short “Cloud Assessment” that consists of two sets of questions believed to be helpful. One is for the ‘business-focused c-level exec (CEO/CFO). The second for the technology-focused c-level (CIO/CTO) as to “how well it is leveraging the benefits of the Cloud.” For the uninitiated with little understanding about the amount of data they are speaking, a table is included that lists “Just how much data is that” and in order defines Kilobyte, Megabyte and down through all 10 levels to and including “sexdecibyte – 10 ^51 Total number of atoms in the earth” with a Note – “Conservatively, the data storage requirements by 2020.”

Conclusion: This is not a book for the casual reader. The authors have presented material primarily useful to individuals involved in commercial and related activities. However, for those not so involved, the book offers another look at what we may be expected to experience much more rapidly than previously thought. Regrettably, and perhaps for some inane reason the fault may be with the older Kindle unto which this book was downloaded, but the format for this reader was one of the most difficult ever encountered. It is hoped others did not or will not suffer the same experience.

3*    5* Specific audience; others to be current; 3* general readership.

The Promise of Blockchain ISBN: 9781946197115 Prestige Publishing by Jason Schenker.

Sub-titled “Hope and Hype for an Emerging Disruptive Technology”, the book contains the usual Preface and Introduction followed by 18 Chapters describing, explaining and discussing Blockchain, it’s pluses and minuses, Bitcoin and assorted other cryptocurrencies for which it functions as ‘an engine’. The 18^th chapter suggests eventual evolution of Quantum Computers (Subject of his next book already published and reviewed), a Conclusion chapter, an Appendix covering a glossary of terms used in the book that will no doubt be new to many, About the Author, Rankings, About the Publisher and Disclaimers.

Discussion: The author believes that his presentation is necessary because of the amount of misinformation, or incomprehension of it, that seemingly exists among individuals in the world of commerce today. Thus he offers this material: “For those strategists, economists and futurists who wish to be tech savvy without catching tech fever.” The explanations are enlightening, caveats well founded and all is most credibly set forth by a man eminently qualified to provide the material. The only disappointing feature of the book, possibly from this reader’s perspective alone, is the reader frequently being informed during the chapter discussions that more will be provided in a future chapter. The complexity of the subject under discussion is understood, but would more judicious editing have been able to provide a more cohesive presentation with less repetition of material?

4* 5* comments; -1* perhaps for this reader alone – see question.

Quantum: Computing Noveau ISBN: 9781946139, Prestige Publishing, written by Jason Schenker.

The author has sub-titled this little book “The Technological Step Change that Could Foster Scientific Discovery, Break Blockchains and Trigger a Global Cybersecurity Arms Race.” It’s raison d’être is to present introductory material associated with the Quantum theory and where practical considerations are leading to a ‘need to know’ at least minimal facts about this field that presently is almost totally in the realm of academicians in physics and other fields of scientific endeavor. For the neophyte he enumerates the already existing early attempts at implementation of the processes and postulates with respect to future expansion to a viable and probably even importantly necessary tool for the not too distant future. The discussion begins with a preface explaining his desire to provide “a book that laid down the basics that put quantum in a context that business professionals could quickly grasp and that laid out simply the industries and sectors with the greatest opportunities and risks”. Next, follows an Introduction and chapter 1 – Why I Wrote this Book, both of which expand on pertinent reasons, including “Quantum could undermine the cryptographic value-add of Blockchain, Bitcom and any other cryptocurrency or encryption technology that currently uses non-quantum encryption.” Thirteen additional chapters continue plus a Conclusion, an Appendix: Quantum Glossary; Endnotes; About the Author; Rankings; About the Publisher and Disclaimers.

Discussion: The author has presented material with respect to the present state of Quantum Theory, its plusses and minuses, its present position and future possibilities in a manner that should be easily understood by the average reader. He describes how Quantum differs from the presently used Binary code that operates only at states of whole or entire (non-fractionated) numbers. Quantum functions using qubits (quantum bits – think fractions or decimals if it helps) of the whole numbers 1 and 0 which can exist in varying degrees at the same time. “This is called the quantum state.” The reason he believes that quantum may be most beneficial for future analyses is because of what it has to offer. It has been determined that the amount of new data acquired within the past two years is greater than the total gathered in all previous history. Quantum can handle such large quantities if incorporated into computers because they could run parallel analyses concurrently adding almost innumerable variables. Regrettably however, the author explains that their development has only begun with actually 3 prototypes now under development. He provides brief description of each and presents the main problems facing such developmental endeavors*. Also provided is a list of areas that perhaps can profit most by eventual development of such computers.

Summary: The author is eminently qualified to make this presentation and to reiterate, has provided most interesting postulates in a manner that the newbie can comprehend. The individual new to the subject might find it helpful to first read two parts of the material at the end of the book – About the Author, and the Appendix: Quantum Glossary. This material could provide the uninformed a better understanding of the presenter’s authoritatively personalized position from which he writes and also pre-knowledge obtained from the glossary that will save him/her from possibly repeated need to revert to it for definitions of terms with which they only may be marginally familiar.

5* Enlightening presentation.

*Traditional – qubits function best at absolute zero and are sensitive to noise also, thus requiring a large machine.

Emulated – “Quantum computing is closer in character to analog computing because the computational model for analog computing differs from the standard computing: a continuum of values, rather than a discrete set is allowed. It uses an analog signal-based emulation of a quantum computer for a computational approach using some of the probabilistic attributes of the traditional near-absolute-zero kind of computer” (these attributes allow it to function at room temperature).

Photonic – focuses on using large-scale silicon photonic circuits with the eventual purpose of achieving “full –scale universal quantum technologies using light”. This doesn’t require near zero chips and is not subject to the ‘noise’ of traditional quantum computing systems.