Defining Cloud Computing By Defining the Internet

From a high level cloud computing can be defined as "Internet based computing" so I figured it would be interesting to take a look at some of the definitions of the Internet as the basis for defining "cloud computing".

What is the internet?

A worldwide network of computers that can be accessed via the computer network. The Internet allows local computer users to find and ...
www.lib.cwu.edu/research/help/cwuglos.html

A computer "network" is a group of computers connected together to exchange data. When several networks are interconnected we have an "internet". The global network of interconnected internets is "The Internet". ...
www.st.com/stonline/press/news/glossary/i.htm

The Internet is a worldwide communications network originally developed by the US Department of Defense as a distributed system with no single point of failure. The Internet has seen an explosion in commercial use since the development of easy-to-use software for accessing the Internet.
www.galassi.org/mark//mydocs/docbook-intro/g645.html

A cooperative system linking computer networks worldwide.
www.micro2000.co.uk/network_glossary.htm

an international computer network connecting universities, research institutions, government agencies, and businesses
www.cs.trinity.edu/About/The_Courses/cs301/html/intro/WWWSum_7.html

The wide collection of connected networks that all use the TCP/IP protocols.
www.mantis.biz/glossary

A global network; an interconnection of large and small networks around the world
www.netnw.net.uk/Jargon_Explained/jargon.htm

is a global network of networks using TCP/IP to communicate.
www.consultantcommons.org/es/computer_networking_terms

The worldwide collection of computers, networks and gateways that use TCP/IP protocols to communicate with one another. ...
193.188.128.125/~acc/Resources/glossarycommonterms.htm

A global network connecting millions of computers. More than 100 countries are linked into exchanges of data, news and opinions.
www.trendmx.com/help/website-promotion-glossary.aspx

An international collection of computer networks that are networked together using the common TCP/IP protocol. There are thousands of computer networks comprising millions of computers connected through the Internet.
aa.uncw.edu/ward/chm255/glossary.htm

A global network linking millions of computers for communications purposes. The Internet was developed in 1969 for the US military and gradually grew to include educational and research institutions. ...
www.mysouthwest.com.au/Business/SmallBusinessIT/Glossary

An international conglomeration of interconnected computer networks. Begun in the late 1960s, it was developed in the 1970s to allow government and university researchers to share information. The Internet is not controlled by any single group or organization. ...
www.gbdpro.com/glossary2.html

An international network of networks accessed via computers with compatible communication standards. More detailed definition of Internet.
lib.colostate.edu/howto/gloss.html

A group of interconnected worldwide computers using an agreed on set of standards and protocols to request information from and send information to each other.
www.peabody.jhu.edu/1437

The global computer network that connects independent networks.
online.wsj.com/documents/glos_i_.htm

A global "network of networks" used to communicate electronically that is linked by a common set of protocols. These protocols allow computers from one network to communicate with a computer on another network.
www.primode.com/glossary.html

The Internet is the largest Internet in the world. It is a three level hierarchy composed of backbone networks (eg ARPAnet, NSFNet, MILNET), mid ...
www.sqatester.com/glossary/index.htm

lobal, decentralized communications network connecting millions of computers, providing exchange of data, news and opinions. (International Standards Organization)
osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/archives/handbook/definitions/

a worldwide network of computers that allows the "sharing" or "networking" of information at remote sites from other academic institutions, research institutes, private companies, government agencies, and individuals.
www.uakron.edu/library/instruction/glossary.htm

a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission ...
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

The Internet is a worldwide, publicly accessible series of interconnected computer networks that transmit data by packet switching using the standard Internet Protocol (IP). ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet

Any set of computer networks that communicate using the Internet Protocol. (An intranet.); (considered incorrect by some — see the Usage notes under Internet) The Internet
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/internet

You wonder why we're having so much trouble defining cloud computing? Because we're trying to define something that is indescribable and purely based on your point of view. If your a 15 year old, the internet is facebook or your IM buddies. For others it may be a communication system or for others it maybe a entertainment system etc, etc.

Keep it simple, keep it stupid, keep it straightforward. The computer is the internet.