The text discusses the evolution and significance of cloud engineering in modern software development, highlighting how all contemporary applications now integrate with the cloud for various purposes such as storage and computation. It describes cloud engineering as a transformative approach that combines application development with cloud capabilities, fostering new cloud-enabled experiences and enhancing collaboration among teams. This approach, which extends DevOps practices, has led to significant changes in how applications are built, deployed, and managed, emphasizing infrastructure as software and promoting continuous delivery and robust security practices. Cloud engineering has allowed for the creation of scalable, distributed applications, exemplified by companies like Zoom, which successfully scaled during the COVID-19 pandemic by leveraging cloud architecture. The narrative also touches on the future of cloud engineering, suggesting that while significant strides have been made, there is still progress to be made towards a comprehensive cloud operating system, with tools like Kubernetes and Pulumi paving the way. The text concludes by acknowledging the impact of cloud engineering practices in facilitating remote collaboration during the pandemic and hints at the potential for further innovation in cloud computing.