Now here's a thing. The web browser Opera is coming out in a new version, Opera Unite, and it's going to let you host all the music, photos and social media you want. On your own computer. Here's the Reuters report.
Initially I can see this will look like a good idea. In the right (as in 'competent') hands it'll probably remain a good idea. The unfortunate bit is that people like me are going to be able to get hold of it.
Now, I don't want to underrate or undersell my abilities or the skills of my fellow bloggers and journalists. We're good writers. We can take complex issues and express them in accessible and lively language, and believe me when you've had to liven up an uninterruptable power supply story you understand just how difficult that process can be. But I'm not, and have never been, a web developer. That's a different skill, for which I have a lot of respect.
And now I'm going to be able to host my own stuff. I know nothing about automating failover, about the bandwidth implications of making my pictures and sounds available online to thousands (most of whom will of course ignore it, but let's suppose I had something they wanted), about the power supply implications for my premises. Those points alone tell me I'm not someone who should be making plans around this hosting stuff.
This is of course because I am incredibly wise and know when I'm bound to screw up. My concern is that the technology will now become available to loads of people who haven't thought this one through, who don't know they're going to screw up but will do so anyway. Of course these will be individuals and very small businesses so the damage will be imperceptible to most people, but I'll bet someone, somewhere is going to assume this is much easier than it actually is.
Call me a pessimist. I hope I'm wrong. We'll see.