Where will my data be in 5 years time? (Part 1)

I’ve written a few times about the future of the shared file server (here, here, here). This has got me thinking about the future of data. Where will it be in 5 years time? Where will it be in 10 years time?

I’ve been around long enough to remember discussions over the excesses of 20MB hard disks (and yes I do mean Mega Bytes). I’m currently sitting here with:

• A smartphone which has a 2GB memory card in it.
• A tablet PC with a 40GB hard disk.
• A desktop PC with 360GB of disk storage.
• Downstairs there is another desktop PC with 100GB of disk space
• Jonathan carries around a laptop with a 60GB hard disk in it.

I also have a load of online data:

• This blog is actually only about 20MB but that’s because:
• My flickr site has 1200 photos stored.

I have hundreds of CD’s and DVD’s. I have hundreds of books and papers too.

And that’s just Graham Chastney the consumer, there’s another laptop with a 20GB hard disk in it on which I do my work.

There are some things about this configuration that I love, and some that worry me.

But will this still be the case in 5 or 10 years time?

What would make me change? Is there a compelling reason to change? Would I ever give all of this data over to Google, or Microsoft, or anyone else? What would they have to give me to make that happen? Would I be willing to pay for it?