A brief history of the cloud

It's impossible to go anywhere these days without hearing about cloud computing. If you currently work in the technology world, I'm sure you've been at a gathering with family or friends when someone finally asks you, "so... what IS the cloud?" Even to the most technically savvy, it is a difficult question to answer. "Cloud" is often used as a buzzword, describing computing or storage infrastructure that can be accessed by many users from any location. To provide the right context, let's take a moment to dive into a brief history of the cloud. If you've heard this story before, feel free to skip ahead!