Future of Databases - online databases?

What are the advantages of storing data in external - online databases?

You save your time. It's all working - you don't need to download/install/configure/learn databases. You just get it all and fill your databases with your data. Disadvantages? It's online - you can't work with it offline. But wait, you can export your data - to Excel, for example, edit it and import again, when you have internet connection. I believe, that in future we will be all connected. And there will not be a problem to be offline, all will be online. And centralized data centers will become a normal thing. I think it's interesting to know, how we can help to grow it now, and to be on the right track.

10.12.2008 Igor Petrushenko