Open source software is a somewhat foreign concept, and to be completely honest, I'm not entirely certain that I fully grasp it myself. Cloud computing, on the other hand, is fairly simple to understand. In cloud computing, files and media can be stored on the internet, freeing up space on hard-drives or creating back-up files. These can be more easily demonstrated with an example.
A particularly great example of OSS and cloud computing is Google. Google offers not just a search engine, but access to e-mail, Microsoft-Office-esque programs, calendars, filtered news, e-book readers, and the like. All for FREE. Let me repeat: FREE. This is great, as the documents created on Google don't have to be saved onto the hard-drive. Also, the applications on Google allow the users to collaborate with other users. With every day, Google is finding new ways to attract more users with new accessible programs. In any case, open source software is changing the way users spend their money.
Another great example of OSS is Gimp, the free alternative to Photoshop. Same tools, same basic look and program layout, but a lot more FREE. Open source software and cloud computing are helping the generic equivalents to today's most expensive software make names for themselves. This topic actually makes me think of Publix and other grocery stores, which make virtually the same products as major brands and sell them for half the price. In both cases, you can save money and receive the same product; in some cases, the generic product is a bit better than the brand (like Publix's Sandwich Cookies...so good...).
Because open source software and cloud computing is gaining weight within the technological society, I think computers will be impacted in that not so much hard drive will be needed. Documents can hang in the clouds, so there won't be as much of a need for large amounts of gigabytes in the hard drive. Computers will most likely continue to become smaller, just at a quicker rate.
Computers will also become less expensive, a thought worth considering from an educator point-of-view. The money spent on programs like Microsoft Office and Photoshop can be saved for other areas of schooling. Woo hoo!
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