How to count computers (or what is a modern computer) ?

This emerging technology that is called Grid Computing allows (as I mentioned before) anyone to call his computer(s) grid. No one is restricted, in naming (thanks god), but it is confusing. "What do you mean when you say GRID?"

A lot of Grid projects and software exists. Some of it SOA based and some not. This industry gives jobs to a lot of people, so it is probably a good thing. If grid is the up-to-date version of the MF computer, then Greg Matter was right - THE WORLD NEEDS ONLY FIVE COMPUTERS but somehow, I feel there are other ways to see things. If the famous Alice and Bob have an apple each they one can say "they have 2 apples", but one can imagine 3 groups that each one has apples:
(1) Alice
(2) Bob
(3) "Alice and Bob".
This example can be presented "intro to combinatorics" under grad course.

Since each computer can be used for different tasks at the same time, it can be certainly be used for different projects. And if one can use the same computers for several tasks, the computer will be counted in several different projects. So the same as when we counted apples. There are as many as the number of sub-gorups and the same goes for computers.

Long time ago computers had CPU(s), memory and peripherals. A modern computer is composed of network and interaction device (keyboard, mouse, screen). Thats it !

The processor, memory, storage are not part of the modern computer. Neither are the applications, and the peripherals. They or their functionality can be found out there. Most of the resources are free but cost a lot (I will explain it later). Network, applications, compute power and storage can be found for free by resource providers. "blogger.com" is an example of application provider and so does second life (that offers interactive TV for the first time in history). One can broadcast to (almost) all the world (NBC, BBC, CNN - be aware!). And the same when my computer is connected to youtube, I am part of the international cross boundary cinema.

"But waht about business - they keep their computers restricted. You can never know what happens inside..." - Wrong again. When your application, calls Amazon to order books and software, they do some work for you.
As a matter of fact, Grid and SOA is all about outsource your IT !

"Does it mean fire my IT people in the long run ?" - Not at all. They will work on a different environment and provide different services. Any internet shop runs on part of Amazon, Google, Yahoo, etc. The business process (at last) is the main issue of the IT. No more self sustained systems.

So how much it costs ?
It costs in privacy! Visa probably knows better than the CEO of Internet based company how looks their cache flow! So does your telephony, electricity companies and your ISP. The post office and shipping companies knows almost everything about your business activity if you sell goods. They know when your business becomes bigger, when you have trouble, they even know when your company is on vacation (and only a few people left).

So we pay with privacy to have an unlimited compute power, storage, network, etc. and have almost infinite computers to run your small business on.

Is it for real ?