As far as I am aware automatically scalable infrastructure is not something that was available until recently, nor is it subsumed by the 'net/web' designation. There is more to it than the web. Have I missed something?

Automatically scalable infrastructure has been available, and in use, I'm sure for quite a number of years. It's nothing new in terms of software.

AWS etc selling such a service, is newer, but it seems like cloud is just being used now as a new "web 2.0" buzzword. "Upload your photos to the cloud!" "Cloud based solutions" "Your music in the cloud" etc etc

Cloud is a vague term, but like "web 2.0" is sorta does refer to some specific things. "Cloud" seems to be overloaded to mean both web services, outsourced virtual datacenters (e.g. EC2), and using virtualization/cluster technology in your own datacenter.

I think programmers hate terms like 'cloud' because they're fuzzy, ambiguous and inspecific. Marketers like them for the same reasons. :)

I understand your considerations, but the article has nothing to do with software-as-a-service type 'clouds'. This is purely on the infrastructure-on-demand and platform layers, and as such actually new, as you also agreed with. Sorry if I am getting a bit technical but Clouds and REST happen to be very close to my research subject. I am one happy bunny today seeing their combination put forward by a major player.

Another thing to keep in mind that this is Tim Bray we are talking about. He can hardly be considered a peddler of hype.

Hey np. I probably shouldn't have commented on this particular one. I think it was a combination of articles and this one just pushed me over the edge today. The last few were far less worthy.

I agree there is good work going on. "infrastructure-on-demand" or "elastic-infrastructure" sounds so much nicer (to me) than 'cloud' though.