July 25, 2014

Innovation and the Cloud, with Dr. Timothy Chou

Lecturer, author, and cloud computing expert Dr. Timothy Chou joins us for the 24th episode of “The Innovation Engine” podcast to discuss how advancements in cloud computing and the dramatically different economics will fuel the next generation of data-intensive software applications. We also look at how the cloud has already changed the way many current business and consumer applications are packaged, sold, hosted, and maintained.

Dr. Chou kicks the episode off by discussing how we’ve gone from the era of the floppy disk to the point where applications run exclusively on the cloud. He explains that application cloud services can be looked at in two ways: consumer cloud services like Twitter, eBay, and Facebook, and business cloud services like those from Box, Netsuite, Concur, Salesforce, Blackbaud, and Rocket Fuel. He talks about how business software will soon be exclusively delivered as cloud services due to factors like ease of purchase and cost efficiency.

These thoughts and more were at the heart of Dr. Chou’s prescient 2002 book, The End of Software: Transforming Your Business for the On Demand Future. The book foresaw the massive shift toward applications running on the cloud. It offers insights for managers and executives looking to challenge conventional approaches to business software.

Dr. Chou has been a pioneer in the enterprise’s move to the cloud for the better part of 2 decades. From 1999 to 2005 he served as President of Oracle On Demand, who delivered Oracle business applications as a cloud service, using modern terminology. For the last 8 years he has been a lecturer at Stanford University, where he created Stanford’s widely acclaimed Cloud Computing course, CS309A. He’s also taken on the role as a member of the board of two new application cloud service companies: Burstorm, a provider of CAD applications for cloud architects, and Cloudbook, a provider of storytelling software. He has appeared in numerous publications, including Forbes and The Economist, as well as delivered keynote speeches on cloud computing on six continents.

Highlights from the episode include:

  • Why it’s important to remember this definition of service: the delivery of information that is personal and relevant to you
  • His thoughts on how cloud computing has changed the level of connectivity with emerging technologies
  • Some of the lesser known advantages cloud computing has, and will continue to have, on fueling innovation
  • Ways in which the cloud will enable businesses to use information gained to strengthen their relationship with their customers

Listen to the Episode

Interested in hearing more? Tune in to the full episode of “The Innovation Engine” podcast  below.

About The Innovation Engine

Since 2014, 3Pillar has published The Innovation Engine, a podcast that sees a wide range of innovation experts come on to discuss topics that include technology, leadership, and company culture. You can download and subscribe to The Innovation Engine on Apple Podcasts. You can also tune in via the podcast’s home on Spotify to listen online, via Android or iOS, or on any device supporting a mobile browser.