It was announced that on July 1st, 2013, Google will shut down Google Reader, an application for organizing and reading favorite web sites and blogs via RSS feeds.

Google’s decision is as a result of declining membership: “While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader.” as indicated on their Google’s blog.

One of the benefits that developers of cloud based applications claim is that you do not have to purchase and install updates or upgrades. Because the application is cloud based, when updates and upgrades are applied, all users instantly benefit.

I do use cloud based services. I’ve used QuickBooks Online, Dropbox, and Gmail among them.

I’ll never embrace them fully. What happens when an update applied is something you neither want nor need nor like? Applications that are actually installed on my own machine allow me to decide for myself whether I want to upgrade or not. What happens if a service is sold or shutdown? As recently happened to me with an anti-spam filter, and now with Google Reader. What if the provider determines that the service is no longer for their benefit, what about your benefit? Finally, although some amount of privacy protection is written into most services Terms of Service, some more than others, how private is your information when transferred over the internet and stored on someone else’s machine? Couple that with the fact that, as any Facebook user knows, terms tend to change. Here’s another relevant article about cloud storage privacy.

I like the “old way”, LOL!

I store my own files and data on my own computer and back up accordingly. I use Dropbox merely for convenience and the ability to share files with others. My primary email accounts reside on my machine and I back up my email boxes. When away from the office, I check via web based email or on my mobile. I buy a software license and install the application to my computer. I have the freedom to decide whether I update and upgrade or not.