Research project, Cloud Computing, who would use it and why? Anyone have experience?

Hey guys, I have been researching cloud computing and collecting academic papers on this topic as I myself need to write a paper on a subject of my choice. I chose Cloud Computing, because I feel it was something that interested me, although at that point I didn't exactly know what it was, I still don't probably. The thing is, I have never spoke to or met anyone who has used it or knows anyone who has. While researching this subject I came across all sorts of information and jargon, and in the academic papers I have been reading I saw the EC2 mentioned a lot. So what type of business would need to use Amazons Web Services? And what is wrong with just installing the software onto their own machines? As I know that cloud computing is not just hosting it is also applications based.

I saw a post recently here and have bookmarked the links provided from the posters helping out, so thanks for those, I will read them after I post this.

The reason I am asking you guys this question is, through all my research, I am left feeling that cloud computing is contradictive and without any easy explanation. The youTube videos, demonstrate what cloud computing does but I'd like to see an real life example of it being used! Does a business have an account and log in and accesses everything form the clouds server? I was reading the information on Amazons web site for EC2 but I don't have time to read it all and it may not provide me with the information which I seek.

I know there are a lot of computer experts here and I am hoping someone can take the time to answer my questions, I appreciate all of your time and efforts!

Thanks

Re: Research project, Cloud Computing, who would use it and why? Anyone have experien

Hello!

Missed this query of yours.
A simple real life example as to where cloud computing is used is Farmville :-|( I am extremely sorry to quote such examples but this ones best understood)
Zynga ( whose brain child is Farmville) expected around 200,000 hits were expected ( #-Link-Snipped-# ), but it ended up having 70 million users a month, so from where could zynga facilitate so much resources needed ? It relied on cloud computing , in sense it just borrowed VMs and resources as and when needed, Its more like easy scaling you see.
Cloud is basically used when you want to scale resources as what you might need. Consider Amazon - the example what you have taken, Amazon has huge datacentres right? and not only AMazon but all the datacentres are most of time not used, its only in peak times that the resources are needed? in order to use the unutilised resources it was a decision made to 'lend' them to others for usage that would generate revenue for the owner of datacentre as well as bring down costs for the other compnay which has leased.

I have just higlighted couple of scenarios, Cloud is so much in rage that in current market the telcos too are trying to put in these services in there service pacakges .