Global CIO: Cloud Computing's New Name: Who Will Win $100 Million?Global CIO: Cloud Computing's New Name: Who Will Win $100 Million?

--Flux Capacitor (from Patrick—always a wise-guy in the bunch!)

--Tap computing, Rent-A-CPU, The Grid, Virtual Datacenter, MyDataCenter (from Michael)

--High-Availability Virtual Infrastructure, Matrix Computing Infrastructure (from Horia)

--Smart Computing, Open Computing, Clear Computing (from blog comment)

--Odyssey computing, OpenSky Computing (from Derek)

--Gestalt computing, Presence computing (from Bill)

--Utility Computing, Consumption-Based Computing, SMART (Scalable, Modular, Autonomous Robust Technology) Computing (from Peter)

--Business Bricks (from Adam)

--HIVE (high-virtualization computing environment) computing, from Stan

--Common On-Line [Business] Applications, Central [Business] Application Access, Centrally Hosted Applications, Centrally Managed Business Applications, Web Based Business Applications, Web Managed Business Applications, Internet Managed Business Applications, Internet Based Applications, On-Demand Applications, On-Demand Business Applications, On-Demand Computing, Network Based ApplicationsNetwork Managed Applications, Grand Central Applications, Grand Central Business Applications, Utility Computing (from Jeff—and Jeff, I'll ask Rob to give you $10,000,000 for the extra effort!)

--Compunet, Computenet, Universenet, Uninet, X-net, VM-net, Unet, Utility Computing (from Jamie—and Jamie, if you don't, uh, net the prize, it won't be for a lack of trying)

--WebLAN, Web-based LAN, Web-hosted LAN, Web-enabled LAN, Web-hosted Infrastructure, Web-Hosted Infrastructure Remote LAN (WHIRL), Remote Infrastructure, Virtual Infrastructure Outsourcing, Virtual LAN VLAN, Virtual Computing, Virtual Computing Network, Virtual Computing Infrastructure, Virtual Remote Computing, Remote Computing Infrastructure, Remote Virtual LAN, Virtual IT (from Kuba—another extra-effort contender)

So that's the current lineup of replacements for cloud computing, folks—feel free to vote on these, or send in your new ones. At this time, I cannot promise that I'll be able to convince Rob Preston to increase the booty beyond $100,000,000 (and don't blame him for that—I haven't quite gotten around to telling him about the contest at all--but let us not get caught up in formalities. Fame, peer adoration, and piles of cash (maybe) await, so let us know what you think at [email protected].

Recommended Reading:

HP's Hurd, IBM's Palmisano Agree: Cloud Is Lousy Name

IBM Will Flex Financial Muscle In Cloud, Analytics, Outsourcing