our thanks to our distinguished panel for their comments here today. now, we open the floor for a q&a session. we will be passing around a microphone, so if you have questions, please raise your hand and speak into the microphone. >> i have a key question about the backup plan. you mentioned the super bowl earlier. what is the backup plan in the unlikely catastrophic event of the disabling of the system? solar storm or whatever. >> there are lots of things that can go wrong. the rights can hit the planet, and the things go dark, and then we fix it. in general, the technology you are talking about is something which is broadly called cloud bursting, where essentially, is used by google and other folks, there's not one computer called

google.com. there's a basilian sitting behind a thing. there is a concept called load balancing, and it has been augmented of late with the ability to dynamically spinoff new instances of server applications in response to spikes in demand. the general concept called cloud bursting allows you to do that across multiple cloud vendors, so you could do it across amazon and various other people say you could get geographic diversity and so on. people doing this extremely well, for example, would be netflix. many of you in this room i'm sure use the netflix. what they did is dynamically throw what is this is as more and more people click on movies that they want to watch. so then what they are doing is as the need scales, they then have the ability -- they pay them, and, of course, it drops off as soon as the need drops off as well. so they end up essentially paying for average demand. the technology is widely deployed around the world.

>> as kind of a follow-up, individuals often use cloud services for backing up their computers. are we about to see people using their computers to back up their clout services to guarantee that they hold on to their data? >> you are at the tip of a very interesting iceberg. go 100,000 miles in space and look down at the earth. we are still driving more wavelength down. there is no problem distributing content out to users. what we have a fundamental problem with is distribution of power. power is dominating in terms of distribution networks q one of the reasons why it does not make sense is because you are at the end of the tree, a long way from distribution, a lot of transmission loss. the data centers move to where power gets generated. what is the next hardest thing to move? big data. did it is still really hard to

move, even though we have lots of wavelets. that says that the application moves to the data is. if you think about facebook and google and all those folks, they build data center's right were the power is generated. typically near hydro plants and so on. what you find is that more and more applications will move to where the data is. moving those big chunks of data is very difficult. in terms of enterprises in the cloud, there is certainly no reason to suspect that the systems used by cloud vendors like amazon are not capable of geographic replication and redundancy. it is absolutely the case that someone like netflix, for example, could survive an outage of two simultaneous amazon did a centers through geographic redundancy and so on. this stuff exists, and the technology exists within the cloud providers to make sure that once your data gets there,

it is not going away. it is just not a cloud provider solution. most enterprises will have things called disaster recovery, where they will keep all their critical data completely synchronized so that if one coast gets hit by an earthquake or terrorist attack, you have the other coast where you can get your data. it is completely synchronized, always available, on demand. geographically diverse disaster recovery solutions have been in place for some time, and they actually do allow for secure data storage. >> i think that for the individual consumer and home user, this storage in the cloud and backing up your personal computer in the cloud has been burgeoning of late because people want to have the ability to store their files securely, but the reason why, to answer your question, is why do they

continue to still backed up their clout back of solution onto a usb stick or on to their own pc is people still have to get comfortable with the idea of clout security, that the data truly is secure and they're comfortable with letting go. people still not quite comfortable with that concept yet. as people become more and more confident and more and more comfortable with the concept of data being safe, we will still have people, and we will still have instances where people want their data next to them, where they feel comfortable, where they feel safe and confident that their data is secure. >> if i were purchasing services from a cloud vendor, i would mandate that all data at risk is encrypted using keys that i own, that i provide when it is processed for me, and there is no excuse for anybody not doing this. the technology exists. so it comes down to the probability that a bad guy could

go and guess relocation. in amazon web services, you have more than 3.5 billion objects. they have to know which one to go for it here that have to break your access. then they have to break the description on the of jets. the probability of stealing your data and getting away with an attack is vanishingly small. >> i think you address one of my concerns, which was the security of my data out on the cloud, but you raised a new question -- who owns my data? what if i do want it to go away? >> there are very challenging concerns. certainly, governed by state boundaries. for example, numerous canadians do not want their data in american dissenters. under a land the vessels, that can be subject to inspection and seizure. all the regulations relate to national boundaries there as well.

a cloud providers actually end up having to meet numerous diverse regulatory requirements related to where data may resign and how it may be encrypted. there are different purchase centers for different christian center's and countries -- there are different encryption centers for different regions and countries. i think amazon wishes they could make it go away the same way they imagine the sales tax would go away sunday. [laughter] >> but is it clear that i own my data? >> it is clear that you own your data, but it is not clear that somebody with the opprobrious search and seizure warrants cannot just make off with it, too. and, of course, you know, here is the scary one. the fbi says there is an attack coming out of those few racks over there, and they walked out with several companies entire computer set up just because

some guy in one of those was doing a bad thing. that is scary. >> unfortunately, we have time for only one last question. weber has the microphone, please. then maybe it is a mistake, but i have the microphone. i came to this lecture trying to find a definition of what cloud computing is. maybe i understand a little better, but i still do not have its in the simple terminology that i understand. my other question is from my point of view as a user of computing services, i have recently had the experience with a couple of banks going through a total change of their website, which caused me no end of aggravation to try to continue my accessing of my data, and i had the feeling, and i think you kind of touched on this, that

for maybe financial reasons or because you technology people are so influential in the world you convinced these banks they had to do this, it just really made my life miserable for a couple of weeks trying to figure out how to use their new system. i mean, it seems to me that -- you know, i had the impression that technology people are sort of making work for themselves by influencing institutions that they need to change what they have already in place. i still go by the old model -- if it is not broken, do not fix it. so i am opposing these questions to the senate panel. >> those are great observations. i am in my mid-40's by now, and there are programming languages used regularly that just did not

exist five years ago. when you hear these guys talk, it is like gobbledygook to me. you get old with your music. you get old with your skills sets. it is just the way it is. because we are a technology- driven society, and we have completely inverted the traditional way back societies were built when -- where when you were older, what you learned was survival skill, and you were right. that is the problem. the young guys are right, and the old guys take it in the net. cloud computing -- let me try a simple one for you. used to be in the old days that everybody had their own electricity generating plant. people would generate electricity locally for their own production means for their own factory. that got turned into a utility. the economics and study of that is very interesting.

there's a fabulous book called "the big switch" which basically tracks that history. think of what clout is doing to computing is being analogous. instead of having to own and run your own software and hardware and computer systems, these things simply become services that you acquired by some horribly complicated plug. so it becomes viable economically -- the economics are compelling. you can consume by plugging in. you have to plug, yes, it is still the case that you know too much, but it is really that, that turning computation into a utility that can be consumed as opposed to requiring human to surround previous manifestations of the technology.

>> i thank the panel for coming here today. we also thank our audience here for those listening and viewing. now, this meeting of the commonwealth club of california commemorating its 108th year of discussion is adjourned. [applause]

>> feel like it really is a community. they are not the same thing, but it really does feel like there's that kind of a five. everybody is there to enjoy a

literary reading. >> the best lit in san francisco. friendly, free, and you might get fed. ♪ [applause] >> this san francisco ryther created the radar reading series in 2003. she was inspired when she first moved to this city in the early 1990's and discover the wild west atmosphere of open mi it's ic in the mission. >> although there were these open mics every night of the week, they were super macho. people writing poems about being jerks. beatty their chest onstage. >> she was energized by the scene and proved up with other girls who wanted their voices to be heard.

touring the country and sharing gen-x 7 as a. her mainstream reputation grew with her novel. theses san francisco public library took notice and asked her if she would begin carrying a monthly reading series based on her community. >> a lot of the raiders that i work with our like underground writers. they're just coming at publishing and at being a writer from this underground way. coming in to the library is awesome. very good for the library to show this writing community that they are welcome. at first, people were like, you want me to read at the library, really? things like that. >> as a documentary, there are

interviews -- [inaudible] >> radar readings are focused on clear culture. strayed all others might write about gay authors. gay authors might write about universal experiences. the host creates a welcoming environment for everybody. there is no cultural barrier to entry. >> the demographic of people who come will match the demographic of the reader. it is very simple. if we want more people of color, you book more people of color. you want more women, your book more women. kind of like that. it gets mixed up a little bit. in general, we kind of have a core group of people who come every month. their ages and very.

we definitely have some folks who are straight. >> the loyal audience has allowed michelle to take more chances with the monthly lineup. established authors bring in an older audience. younker authors bring in their friends from the community who might be bringing in an older author. >> raider has provided a stage for more than 400 writers. it ranges from fiction to academics stories to academic stories this service the underground of queer fell, history, or culture. >> and there are so many different literary circles in san francisco. i have been programming this reading series for nine years. and i still have a huge list on my computer of people i need to carry into this. >> the supportive audience has

allowed michele to try new experiment this year, the radar book club. a deep explorationer of a single work. after the talk, she bounces on stage to jump-start the q&a. less charlie rose and more carson daly. >> san francisco is consistently ranked as one of the most literate cities in the united states. multiple reading events are happening every night of the year, competing against a big names like city arts and lectures. radar was voted the winner of these san francisco contest. after two decades of working for free, michelle is able to make radar her full-time job. >> i am a right to myself, but i feel like my work in this world

is eagerly to bring writers together and to produce literary events. if i was only doing my own work, i would not be happy. it is, like throwing a party or a dinner party. i can match that person with that person. it is really fun for me. it is nerve wracking during the actual readings. i hope everyone is good. i hope the audience likes them. i hope everybody shows up. but everything works out. at the end of the reading, everyone is happy. ♪

>> you probably think you know all about the exploratorium. but have you ever been after dark? did you know there was a monthly party called after dark? science mixes with culture and adults mix with other adults. no kids allowed. every week there is a different theme. to tell us about the themes is melissa alexander. tell us about some of the previous themes we have had. >> we have had sex ploration, sugar, red, blue.

many things. >> what is the theme tonight? >> rock, paper, scissors. we are having a tournament tonight, but we have also used as a jumping off point to explore lots of different ideas. you can find out about rock, paper, scissors as a game as a reproductive strategy. you can interact with a piece of art created by lucky dragon. you can get your hair cut from a cool place called the public barber's salon. they use scissors only. you can find out about local geology, too. >> that sounds like fun. let's check it out. >> this is the most common rock on the surface of the earth. interesting thing is, most of this rock is covered over by the ocean. >> error congested a cool

presentation on plate tectonics. tell us about what we just saw. >> we wrapped up a section of a lesson on a plate tectonics, here at the exploratory and -- exploritorium. >> are you excited to see people here having fun and learning about science? >> the people that come here are some selected to begin with, they actually enjoy science. i teach teachers to have fun with their kids. the general public is a great audience, too. they're interested in science. >> we have a blast every time. they have different names. >> they have a bar and a cafe. everything i need. we are excited for the speaker. >> it is nice to be in the exploratorium when there are not

a lot of kids around. >> before tonight, i never knew there were major league rules to rock, paper, scissors. i am getting ready to enter into a competition. sarah's here to give me some tips. what do i need to do to win it? >> this is a game of chance, to a degree. one of the best ways to bring it home is a degree of intimidation, maybe some eye contact, maybe some muscle. it is a no contact sport. sheer i contact is a good way to maybe intimidate to see if you can set them off, see if they throw something they did not mean to. >> i am going to see what happens. >> i got kicked out in the first round. [applause] >> given up for sunni.

the rock, paper, scissors champion. >> what are you going to do now? >> i have been having so much fun. i got my tattoo. before we go, i want to thank melissa alexander for having us here tonight. how did you know san francisco needed a night like tonight? >> thank you for coming. everybody loves the exploratorium. we are reluctant to push the kids out of the way in the day, so i knew we needed to create one evening a month just for the rest of us to have a good time, the adults. >> absolutely. where can we find out what is coming up after dark? >> that is easy, exploratorium .edu/afterdark. >> thank you. thanks for watching

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