Final answer:
The statement is false; Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is the most basic cloud offering, not Platform as a Service (PaaS). IaaS offers virtualized computing resources, while PaaS additionally includes development tools and middleware.
Correct option is B) False
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the most basic cloud offering is Platform as a Service (PaaS), which is the equivalent of a cloud-hosted computer with no software installed, is False. In the hierarchy of cloud services, the most basic offering is actually Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). IaaS provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, including virtual machines with basic operating system software, but without the additional development tools and middleware that PaaS offers.
Platform as a Service (PaaS), on the other hand, provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching an app.