About the book
The militarized legacy of the digital cloud: how the cloud grew out of older network technologies and politics.
We may imagine the digital cloud as placeless, mute, ethereal, and unmediated. Yet the reality of the cloud is embodied in thousands of massive data centers, any one of which can use as much electricity as a midsized town. Even all these data centers are only one small part of the cloud. Behind that cloud-shaped icon on our screens is a whole universe of technologies and cultural norms, all working to keep us from noticing their existence. In this book, Tung-Hui Hu examines the gap between the real and the virtual in our understanding of the cloud.
Hu shows that the cloud grew out of such older networks as railroad tracks, sewer lines, and television circuits. He describes key moments in the prehistory of the cloud, from the game “Spacewar” as exemplar of time-sharing computers to Cold War bunkers that were later reused as data centers. Countering the popular perception of a new “cloudlike” political power that is dispersed and immaterial, Hu argues that the cloud grafts digital technologies onto older ways of exerting power over a population. But because we invest the cloud with cultural fantasies about security and participation, we fail to recognize its militarized origins and ideology. Moving between the materiality of the technology itself and its cultural rhetoric, Hu's account offers a set of new tools for rethinking the contemporary digital environment.
Editions of A Prehistory of the Cloud
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780262029513
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780262529969
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262330084
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262330091
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262330107
Read an Excerpt
The militarized legacy of the digital cloud: how the cloud grew out of older network technologies and politics.
We may imagine the digital cloud as placeless, mute, ethereal, and unmediated. Yet the reality of the cloud is embodied in thousands of massive data centers, any one of which can use as much electricity as a midsized town. Even all these data centers are only one small part of the cloud. Behind that cloud-shaped icon on our screens is a whole universe of technologies and cultural norms, all working to keep us from noticing their existence. In this book, Tung-Hui Hu examines the gap between the real and the virtual in our understanding of the cloud.
Hu shows that the cloud grew out of such older networks as railroad tracks, sewer lines, and television circuits. He describes key moments in the prehistory of the cloud, from the game “Spacewar” as exemplar of time-sharing computers to Cold War bunkers that were later reused as data centers. Countering the popular perception of a new “cloudlike” political power that is dispersed and immaterial, Hu argues that the cloud grafts digital technologies onto older ways of exerting power over a population. But because we invest the cloud with cultural fantasies about security and participation, we fail to recognize its militarized origins and ideology. Moving between the materiality of the technology itself and its cultural rhetoric, Hu's account offers a set of new tools for rethinking the contemporary digital environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Prehistory of the Cloud about?
The militarized legacy of the digital cloud: how the cloud grew out of older network technologies and politics.
We may imagine the digital cloud as placeless, mute, ethereal, and unmediated. Yet the reality of the cloud is embodied in thousands of massive data centers, any one of which can use as much electricity as a midsized town. Even all these data centers are only one small part of the cloud. Behind that cloud-shaped icon on our screens is a whole universe of technologies and cultural norms, all working to keep us from noticing their existence. In this book, Tung-Hui Hu examines the gap between the real and the virtual in our understanding of the cloud.
Hu shows that the cloud grew out of such older networks as railroad tracks, sewer lines, and television circuits. He describes key moments in the prehistory of the cloud, from the game “Spacewar” as exemplar of time-sharing computers to Cold War bunkers that were later reused as data centers. Countering the popular perception of a new “cloudlike” political power that is dispersed and immaterial, Hu argues that the cloud grafts digital technologies onto older ways of exerting power over a population. But because we invest the cloud with cultural fantasies about security and participation, we fail to recognize its militarized origins and ideology. Moving between the materiality of the technology itself and its cultural rhetoric, Hu's account offers a set of new tools for rethinking the contemporary digital environment.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in A Prehistory of the Cloud?
Computing and Information Technology > Computer networking and communications > Cloud computing
Where can I read a sample of A Prehistory of the Cloud?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780262029513
Who is/are the Author/s of the book A Prehistory of the Cloud?
Tung-Hui Hu
Who is the Publisher of the book A Prehistory of the Cloud?
MIT Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
A Prehistory of the Cloud is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780262029513) and paperback(ISBN 9780262529969) and ebook(ISBN 9780262330084) and ebook(ISBN 9780262330091) and ebook(ISBN 9780262330107)
Where can I buy A Prehistory of the Cloud online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy A Prehistory of the Cloud from below
Where can I buy A Prehistory of the Cloud?