Stretching the Container Metaphor
The Docker/shipping container metaphor is overdone. I don’t think people have fully thought through what it might mean if containers do the same thing to computing as they did to shipping. Are we prepared for hipsters taking over derelict data centers?
There is an unpublished rule that all Docker articles must be accompanied by a picture of shipping containers. Forbes is a particularly egregious offender. I don’t know if it’s the work of a serial offender sub-editor, or if it’s a company-wide policy. I suspect the latter.
Then there’s the DC2 Desktop Container Computer Kickstarter campaign:
(I must admit I do like this one)
But what happened when shipping converted to using containers? Consolidation of ports, dramatic reduction in required labour force, leading to waterfront dereliction. Years later cities re-discovered their waterfront spaces, leading to redevelopment & gentrification.
Wharfs went from this:
(Image from State Library of South Australia, CC license)
To this:
(Image by David Dixon, CC license)
To be re-born as this:
(Image from Wikimedia Commons, CC license)
So does that mean that our data centers will go from this:
(Image from Intel Free Press, CC license)
To this:
(Image from Wolfgang Stief, CC license)
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