RE: History of Cloud Computing

"Cloud Computing" is more of a marketing device than it is a technology.

Computer scientists developed time sharing technologies in the 1960s. One would buy computer time on centralized computers for their programs.

In the early days of the internet, companies used the term cohosting. With cohosting, customers would buy computer resources for their web site.

It was customary to use fluffy cloud shapes when referencing unspecified parts of a network. I am not sure when the first cloud appeared in a drawing. I suspect one would have to look at prehistoric cave dwelling paintings to answer that question.

The buzz word really took off in the 2000s. In most cases discounted web hosts simply rebranded "cohosting" as cloud.

There have been innovations in sharing computer resources. The term "cloud" is useful as it allows customers to specify the computer resources they need when renting computer resources. Since most of the technology that people sell as "cloud services" existed before the introduction of the term, i wouldn't call it a new technology.