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How would you explain AWS to the layperson in a phrase?

With words that have meanings? To the layperson, "data center" and "supercomputers" translates to "tech stuff".

"AWS is a service by Amazon that runs software for you in computers connected to the internet" is still inaccurate, but has a meaning for the layperson other than "tech buzzwords with superlatives".

Eh, it's not that inaccurate. AWS is a bunch of data centers full of big computers that simulate a bunch of smaller computers.

Can you say that in a generally digestible way?

AWS is a computing service built on "datacenters" located all around the world, which are large warehouses packed tightly with racks of computers that are networked together and efficiently powered and cooled.

I'm missing a description of virtual machines / containers but that might be going into too much detail.

It's reasonable to expect the typical Atlantic reader to know what a supercomputer is and to ascertain what a data center is in this context. Painting with a broad brush that's what AWS is.

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