Scale, cost effectiveness and pay for use are terms we're used to hear about cloud computing but like Google, 'search and access' are bound to be its keywords.

We can't entirely fault Marissa Mayer for saying that it's not what you know but what you can find out. First of all, she's from Google and and we all know what Google is really good at. So what better way than to remind us about their product's value again, as if web supremacy isn't enough. She writes,

It's not what you know, it's what you can find out. The Internet has put at the forefront resourcefulness and critical-thinking and relegated memorization of rote facts to mental exercise or enjoyment. Because of the abundance of information and this new emphasis on resourcefulness, the Internet creates a sense that anything is knowable or findable — as long as you can construct the right search, find the right tool, or connect to the right people. The Internet empowers better decision-making and a more efficient use of time.

 

Well, I believe that she might be on to something but to say that 'out there is better than inside of you' might be taking it too far.  Unless as a special being, you're connected to the grid 24/7 like some sort of consciousness partaking of the web stream.  Need something?  Plug yourself in or reach for that gadget and get answers depending on search results.  Have a problem? Type in the word and you'd get a list of best advice, with disclaimer of course.

But reading behind the lines, what she's really trying is put exclamation points and glorify 'access' which everyone's enjoying. If you know what to search for, no doubt Google is your friend. Problem is that search can sometimes go too far - butting heads with the Fourth Amendment.  At present, the rich data out in the web (and soon most of it in the clouds) is too tempting to ignore.

For the reasons stated above and the ones illuminated by Nick Carr, I don't think I'm ready to put 'what I can search for and find out' over 'whom you know'.  Or companies won't be paying ridiculous amounts of money for contact databases.