Consequently, one does not need to be to predict that the enormous will, in the end, result in the same outcome. Cloud computing resembles open source in many ways and will succeed for much the same reasons-and in the face of much the same kind of dismissive disdain by mainstream IT.

Think I'm overstating the vehemence of IT professionals regarding cloud computing? Let me quote from a comment submitted to one of my recent blog postings:

Seems each and every article that comes off with this 'cloud' holy grail, yada yada stuff has a direct financial gain at stake with cloud adoption. You know, you haven't come up with anything at all that's new, and all this talk of moving control to third parties is laughable at best. I have had to deal with too many third party entities, and especially when it comes to email, that is a HUGE mistake. With that comment the author showed his lack of expertise with Enterprise IT, and I realized then for sure, the article was from one with $$ to gain, and they could care less about what IT has worked so hard for ober the years to gain contrrol of. (sic) Likewise the yo-yos who talk of toyblets and BYOT (T for toy, leave 'em at home kids)

Leaving aside the ad hominem aspects of the comment, this virulent aspersion to cloud computing is completely reminiscent of many, many that I heard from IT professionals regarding open source.

However, I can state with confidence that the end result of this controversy will be exactly the same-cloud computing will emerge triumphant, having been widely adopted despite the hostile reactions of many IT professionals.