I'm curious to hear how other iBrattleborains feel about a new feature Google is expected to be offering up later this year. It's something called Gdrive which will allow you to transfer the entire contents of your computer onto Google's servers, in affect eliminating the need for a hard drive. By doing this you'd be able to access your information from any computer anywhere in the world. Cloud computing comes of age in all it's secure and fully encrypted glory.
For all of it's convenience I wonder how others feel about the privacy issues that come into play with a service such as this?
Gdrive - How Much Trust Would You Put In Google? | 20 comments | Create New Account
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Gdrive - How Much Trust Would You Put In Google?
Authored by: pjmelton on Wednesday, January 28 2009 @ 01:40 PM GMT+4
Aren't there already other online outfits that offer backup services? What is different about Gdrive, I wonder?
Personally, even if I were using one of these services, I think we would still use our backup drive at home. I also might be loathe to put my banking information (Quicken type stuff) on there, but that's probably a little silly, considering I do online checking account management and use PayPal.... It does still give me the heebie jeebies to think of put all my eggs in one online server basket, but that may be an irrational reaction. The sense of security I have with our physical backup drive is probably a false one.
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"Economic laws are not made by nature. They are made by human beings." -- FDR
Authored by: SJD on Wednesday, January 28 2009 @ 02:30 PM GMT+4
Having a personal virtual hard drive clearly would have it's place. Like anything else, common sense says don't put anything on that drive you might regret. Even your own PC can be hacked from the outside world when connected to the Internet if you don't take precautions and use common sense with your sensitive info. Bottom line, we are our own worst enemy.. don't blame Google for providing a product
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"Government's view of the economy: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it." -Ronald Reagan
Authored by: SJD on Thursday, January 29 2009 @ 01:33 AM GMT+4
No, it's implied by the original topic that a privacy issue was at stack here, thus if a breach in privacy occurred then Google would be slammed for a leaky unsecured system. My point is; -adverse security is inherent in any system and you need to take precautions with sensitive files rather then relay on others.
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"Government's view of the economy: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it." -Ronald Reagan
Authored by: Timmy on Wednesday, January 28 2009 @ 03:05 PM GMT+4
There are plenty of companies that do this already...
My question is, is this going to be a free or cheap service, and how much storage are we talking about?
My needs with video production are extreme, since I currently have about 8 Terabytes of storage on-site (a terabyte is 1000 gigabytes, and a gigabyte is 1000 megabytes (MB))
The main issue with remote storage is uploading and downloading speeds - for large files it can take ages to do this.
I can see folks with modest backup storage needs using it, but of course only as a SECONDARY backup - always keep at least one copy on a separate hard drive locally.
Authored by: cgrotke on Wednesday, January 28 2009 @ 03:35 PM GMT+4
Real privacy ended many years ago.
Until internet connections don't go down, the value in this is backup of
files, and putting files up to share. Lise and I have been putting files
on servers for years, but still have everything backed up on local hard
drives, which we sometimes further backup onto other drives or CD.
There are times when one can use the computer, but not the internet.
The ISP has a glitch, or I'm in a location without a way to connect to
the web. I'd hate to really need a file and only have it available if
I'm connected.
I think local hard drives will be around for quite a while. Sending files
up to the "cloud" will continue to advance and some people will find it
very useful - probably people who travel extensively and always have
good internet connections wherever they go.
Authored by: KeithG on Wednesday, January 28 2009 @ 03:38 PM GMT+4
It sounds to me like the Gdrive service is designed to be yet another move on the part of Google to compete with Microsoft. When you think about it, storing your files in a Google cloud with the ability to access them from any computer, work with them using any one of Google free apps, it could render a Windows based desktop obsolete. All you'd really need your computer for would be as a portal to access your Google-based data.
There's talk that a service like this could result in a paradigm shift in personal computing unlike any we've yet seen. We're already headed in that direction, cloud-based back-up services abound, why not take it to the next level and allow people to not only access their info but work on it, too.
Personally I find the idea intriguing but at the same time, I can't help but wonder about the potential for infringements upon our personal liberties by allowing a 2nd party access to our information.
Authored by: cgrotke on Wednesday, January 28 2009 @ 03:45 PM GMT+4
Anytime we give out personal information to another company we are
risking it being used in a way that we don't necessarily approve. Credit
card numbers for purchases, ATM use, the catalogs we get in the mail,
the organizations we join, the details we tell Facebook and Google about
ourselves... it can all be added together to gain a rather complete
profile if someone wants to do it.
Ultimately it comes down to the policies in place and whether you can
trust them and the people implementing them.
Authored by: imhennessy on Thursday, January 29 2009 @ 01:13 PM GMT+4
To me, the most interesting part of this is that Google is co-opting something that people were doing already.
People using Linux have had the option of using their Gmail accounts as a remote file system for a couple of years.
It's rather impressive that, even as they are laying people off, Google is looking at how people are using their services, and adapting them to suit those uses.
That said, I don't trust any outside company with _much_ of my personal info. Some is inevitable, though.
Authored by: KeithG on Thursday, January 29 2009 @ 09:05 PM GMT+4
Lise, that's my main concern with a service like this, how obliging will Google be when 'da man has an interest in what you have hovering in the cloud?
The mobility factor is definitely attractive but at what cost?
Personally, even if I were using one of these services, I think we would still use our backup drive at home. I also might be loathe to put my banking information (Quicken type stuff) on there, but that's probably a little silly, considering I do online checking account management and use PayPal.... It does still give me the heebie jeebies to think of put all my eggs in one online server basket, but that may be an irrational reaction. The sense of security I have with our physical backup drive is probably a false one.
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"Economic laws are not made by nature. They are made by human beings." -- FDR