Cloud - What is new, what is old and what is buzz

Cloud computing appeared in the mid of 2007 according to Google trends, which obviously is not the pure truth, but we can pretty much agree that during first half of 2007 the term started to be known.
Cloud computing is the name of very old technology that allows getting services from a remote c0mputing centers. In the 60's the computers were attached with punch cards, cards readers and large rooms full of computers, while now it is virtual machine based operation.

Two ideas are new after all and should pretty much be taken in account:
- X-As-A-Service Users need services - So companies should offer the users services and not software. In most of fields we use services while in computers (due to some unclear reason), companies offer software. You do not ask a GSM software for your cellular and you should neither ask for word processor software. You might need a word processor - that is fine, but users do not need the software, but its functionality. X can be one or more of the following: software, platform, infrastructure, operation, etc. that is given as a service.

- Decoupling between business and IT. This is (IMHO) the biggest change since the appearance of the PC. Companies should no longer look at the IT as wired department that do "some computer work that only they understand". The IT will have to look around and see how it can contribute to the business of the company.

Approx 2 month ago, I asked on LinkedIn What is the "right" place of the IT in an organization ? I wanted to get an estimation of how people see the IT now in order to compare it in the future. All the replies talk about the IT as very distanced from the business. This will change in the era of "cloud computing". If a company uses SaaS or PaaS, the IT will have to invent new roles and get into other business. More of the same is not an option. Given that most of the software can already be used on the net as Office (e.g. google docs), CRM (sales.com) and many others, obsoletes the routine installation and upgrade process that some IT departments spend most of the time on updates and alike.
On one hand, the IT workers are skillful in implementing the same routine again and again and they will have to adapt to the new era. This time each IT worker will be required to have some understanging of the business they work for. If an IT worker in a bank will not be a mini-banker, his contribution to the organization will be less efficient.

Not everything can be moved to cloud. I some cases it is due to technical problems (as the organizations can not allow all their information to be external) and in some cases the IT workers will make huge efforts to prevent it. In either cases, this cloud buzz will force them to learn new practicies. In the future, it might happen that someone will suggest to move the main compute power from the serivce centers to the users. It will not be a desktop but rahter some lite weight device (maybe the cellular successor) and the computers marker will continue to make money out of those transitions.