Google has unveiled [App Engine](http://code.google.com/appengine/docs/whatisgoogleappengine.html) and unlike some other recent Google efforts this one feels fully baked and well thought-out. For starters it includes all the elements that I had identified in my post [calling for a new platform](http://www.unionsquareventures.com/2007/09/i_want_a_new_pl.html), such as a highly scalable DB using a simple storage model that maps well to the common use cases and even support for email processing. They even provide a fully featured local development environment. There is a lot here to digest and there may be issues hidden in the [terms of service](http://code.google.com/appengine/terms.html) but this is a major milestone in making cloud computing a reality and potentially in breaking down the scalability barrier for startups.