> It's arguably a bigger savings for smaller people who can't afford the upfront costs
Well first let me say that I have been doing all of this (as a business person who knows tech and Unix) for quite some time. And what you wrote above spins my head because I don't know much about AWS (but I can easily turn up a server if needed). My point is what you are describing for a small business person requires a tech person knowledgeable with AWS to implement (and keep on top of) which is the "cost" as opposed to perhaps saving money in this particular example for this particular customer. I am no doubting that AWS (which I see you work for in your profile) is good for certain types of uses (such as perhaps the example you are giving). But you still need a knowledgeable tech guy to keep it all working it is not like using webmail vs. running your own email server (imap, smtp etc.)
Additionally once you are on AWS you are pretty much locked into AWS by the way (as you describe) things are setup. I am not convinced that at a time in the future AWS will not change their pricing to take advantage of the lock that they have (even though now they continually drop prices). Or add extra fees or whatever. Being in business so many years I have seen this happen and changing from AWS will be near impossible. (In other words for people on AWS such as you describe there is no easy alternative competition for a system once designed and specific to AWS in the way you detail).
Well first let me say that I have been doing all of this (as a business person who knows tech and Unix) for quite some time. And what you wrote above spins my head because I don't know much about AWS (but I can easily turn up a server if needed). My point is what you are describing for a small business person requires a tech person knowledgeable with AWS to implement (and keep on top of) which is the "cost" as opposed to perhaps saving money in this particular example for this particular customer. I am no doubting that AWS (which I see you work for in your profile) is good for certain types of uses (such as perhaps the example you are giving). But you still need a knowledgeable tech guy to keep it all working it is not like using webmail vs. running your own email server (imap, smtp etc.)
Additionally once you are on AWS you are pretty much locked into AWS by the way (as you describe) things are setup. I am not convinced that at a time in the future AWS will not change their pricing to take advantage of the lock that they have (even though now they continually drop prices). Or add extra fees or whatever. Being in business so many years I have seen this happen and changing from AWS will be near impossible. (In other words for people on AWS such as you describe there is no easy alternative competition for a system once designed and specific to AWS in the way you detail).