"Cloud Computing Providers Gain Traction"

"Security Fears Dampen Prospects for Cloud Computing"

"Taiwan Government Plans to Invest in Cloud Computing"

"Companies Slowly Join Cloud Computing"

"As Cloud Computing Grows, Customer Frustration Mounts"

"Cloud Computing Markets Expected to Reach $100 Billion"

This is a sampling of current headlines related to Cloud Computing, as the Fifth International Cloud Expo opens at the Javits Center in New York.

Well, which is it? Is the glass one-third full or two-thirds empty? Is there a consensus thumbs-up or thumbs-down here? Should I stay (with what I have) or should I go (into the land of Cloud Computing)?

Clearly, there is now momentum behind Cloud Computing. This is retroactive momentum if you count all the individuals using Consumer Cloud stuff like gmail, Facebook (and the 100 million on Farmville), and for using the Web in general as their dictionary, encyclopedia, newspaper, and time-waster.

The frustration is not really mounting; it is just being experienced in a new way for the first time by many companies and users. Please raise your hand is you've lived a life without any problems from "the computers," whether you were around in the early days of PCs, or just struggle on a daily basis in an office somewhere to complete your expense reports and print them out.

The issues involved with Cloud Computing--good, bad, and ugly--are all being addressed this week at Cloud Expo. The opening day saw a record attendance and a rapt audience for a keynote from Oracle, a special session from Abiquo, The Planet, and Terremark, and an eight-track program that focused on security, virtualization, enterprise IT, performance management, and many Hot Topics.