> _Oh yeah, did I mention I also wanted a beefier machine at home so I could manipulate large virtual machine images?_

I think he's looking to create a setup where he can spin up and destroy networked VMs, which would indeed make the project count as a cloud. From your Wikipedia link:

> The main enabling technology for cloud computing is virtualization. Virtualization software allows a physical computing device to be electronically separated into one or more "virtual" devices, each of which can be easily used and managed to perform computing tasks. With operating system–level virtualization essentially creating a scalable system of multiple independent computing devices, idle computing resources can be allocated and used more efficiently. Virtualization provides the agility required to speed up IT operations, and reduces cost by increasing infrastructure utilization. Autonomic computing automates the process through which the user can provision resources on-demand. By minimizing user involvement, automation speeds up the process, reduces labor costs and reduces the possibility of human errors.[27]

Admittedly, it depends on what he wants to do with this that would determine whether it's "really" a cloud or not.

He's not saying he has a cloud at home, but rather that this server was likely part of one in a prior life:

""" There is a lot of conjecture on where the Dell 1U rackmount model CS24-SC came from. Some people say Facebook data centers. Others just say that it was mass-produced for “clouds.” """

The fact that the primary purpose is for varying computing tasks on demand makes makes the "cloud" term appropriate in my opinion.