There has been talk recently about standardizing Cloud Computing.  Discussion ranges from the implications standardization will have on innovation to whether competing companies would even consider doing this.  And while these are all very good ideas, I think the community needs to come up with a clear and concise definition of what cloud computing is.  There are whole papers written on “what is cloud computing”.  At the same time, people like Larry Ellison and Richard Stallman are suggesting that its just a buzz word.

There are organizations like the Cloud Computing Interoperability Forum that are looking into creating an API about APIs.  Sounds brilliant, but again, I think coming up with a clear and concise definition of what cloud computing is and what it is not will help with creating an API about APIs.  Once you create this clear and concise definition you can determine:

1. scope of cloud computing services
2. identify already existing APIs
3. find a common thread in those APIs

And while people like Jeff Boles at ComputerWorld may think the cloud is too old to be standardized; we may find that it is too disorganized to even know that its too old to be standardized.