Gdrive is big ... but not that big
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| Steven_Rosenber Jan 26, 2009 1:59 PM EDT |
Google already gives its users plenty of storage across a variety of apps. Just this week I built a few quickie Web pages on Google Sites (I'm tired of sharing Google Docs with my many co-workers who also use the service). For a "private" Web site, it's just too easy to use Google. I'm getting tired of not being able to shift documents into and out of Google Docs and having the formatting be less than ideal (aka "broken") for one format (Google Docs) or another (OpenOffice/MS Office). I'm tired of Google not offering simple formatting options (indented paragraphs, "smart" quotes) that HTML and CSS can clearly render ... I'm tired of Google Docs with Gears running like an absolute dog in Ubuntu. If offline access is that buggy, it's not worth anything. Don't get me wrong, Google is great. Gdrive, if and when it ever comes out, is pretty much already there in Google's various online apps — nothing to see here, folks. For the way I work now, Google Docs, Gmail, Sites, Groups ... they're all part of the solution. But they're not nearly the whole technological enchilada. I still believe that the near-term solution — and perhaps the far-term solution, too — is access to documents both in the cloud and on the local drive (the user's choice) with either Web-based apps or desktop-client apps. What would make me happy is accessing my ODF documents through a cloud-capable OpenOffice, and being able to access that document wherever it's at, even with a Web browser or other cloud-capable client app. That's the choice I want. It seems a bit ironic, in the context of this forum anyway, that Microsoft appears to be heading in this direction, if only to preserve its still-lucrative office-suite business. FOSS should be actively seeking cloud integration for as many apps as possible. Again, users should have the choice of whether or not they wish to use cloud storage, local storage or both. I know there are Unix-hacky solutions to mount cloud-based filesystems on the local machine, but the rest of us need something with a lower "I'm a hacker, and you're not" quotient. |
| techiem2 Jan 26, 2009 3:15 PM EDT |
Quoting:I still believe that the near-term solution — and perhaps the far-term solution, too — is access to documents both in the cloud and on the local drive (the user's choice) with either Web-based apps or desktop-client apps. Exactly. I'm getting kind of tired of all these "The cloud will kill the PC" articles. As has been said before, that's not likely to become even remotely possible until everyone has extremely reliable, extremely fast, unlimited bandwidth usage connections for wired and wireless devices everywhere... And we know how well THAT's coming along..... Besides, do you really want to try to run a graphically intense game/analysis application/etc. with it pulling all the graphics/sound/data across a network? (That seems to be the ultimate goal right? Your local machine is just a low powered dumb terminal and everything is hosted in "The Cloud"?) I don't see that happening anytime soon.... |
| garymax Jan 26, 2009 3:57 PM EDT |
In some ways I get it and in some ways I don't. Google gives you email, a spreadsheet and collaboration web apps and, Voila! this is going to kill the PC? Please... As has been mentioned, until the ISPs allow for unlimited bandwidth, and fiber is supplied to every home, and broadband speeds increase dramatically, cloud computing will be a cloudy dream. Not to mention that every application would have to be ported to the cloud or else there would not be parity. Web versions of apps would have to have the same look and feel as what we enjoy now. And this won't happen any time soon. What's wrong with growing cloud utilities along side of the conventional PC? Why the incessant need to "kill" the PC as we know it? Why not have both work in tandem? In a complimentary fashion? One reason is because if everyone jumped on the Google bandwagon they would own your data. You wouldn't. And they would make money off of your data. It's their business model. And with no legislation in place to rein them in privacy rights go out the window. Of course, this kind of "universal database" for everyone would be a government's dream come true. No subpoenas, just go to Google. This has implications that reach farther then many realize. And the sad fact is that many would gladly give up their privacy for the convenience of the cloud computing model. Scary. And for you tech heads who love to install, administer and learn more about your Linux system, well, you can kiss that capability goodbye if cloud computing becomes reality. No more need to write scripts--it's done for you by the cloud... No need to administer your system--it's done for you by the cloud... No more hardware issues--it becomes an appliance/device that simply connects you to your data... In short, everything that Linux lovers enjoy would be taken away. Some food for thought... |
| NoDough Jan 26, 2009 4:11 PM EDT |
My Gdrive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220... |
| jezuch Jan 26, 2009 4:22 PM EDT |
http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20060603 |
| TxtEdMacs Jan 26, 2009 4:31 PM EDT |
Those that would trade freedom for security end up with neither. Sounds like Cloud thinking to me. [My sincere regards to B.F., whose words I mangled to make a point.] |
| Shagbag Jan 26, 2009 5:14 PM EDT |
I'm also growing tired of all the 'Cloud' hypershite. Those Government people can come to ME if they want to look at my pron collection, err.. I mean data. |
| d0nk3y Jan 26, 2009 6:56 PM EDT |
Re: Clouds killing the PC... See this: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4830583a28.html I wonder how those users would feel if you told them they could run all their apps/data out of the cloud and that they don't need a PC.... |
| tuxchick Jan 26, 2009 7:00 PM EDT |
You don't even need a keyboard, and having a physical Internet connection is so last-millennium. Just wave your hands in the air. |
| gus3 Jan 26, 2009 7:13 PM EDT |
tc, do you mean this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyMVZqJk8s4 |
| moopst Jan 26, 2009 7:20 PM EDT |
We were working on a psychic interface to replace the GUI back in the late '90's. The goal was to give you what you want before it got to your consiousness. Turned out the CLI was faster than that too. |
| Sander_Marechal Jan 26, 2009 8:13 PM EDT |
@gus3: There's a reason such interfaces aren't used in reality. It's really tiresome flailing your arms around all day long. Keyboards, mice, trackballs and tablets are interfaces you can use much longer at a time. |
| tracyanne Jan 26, 2009 9:56 PM EDT |
@gus @sander, fine for doing demos and presentations, for real work, no so much. |
| jdixon Jan 26, 2009 10:15 PM EDT |
> My Gdrive: Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% /dev/sda1 239089984 84245936 142698912 38% /dev/hda1 240362656 12957060 215195796 6% /dev/sdb1 721075720 146505368 537941752 22% I don't think I'll have any need of a GDrive any time soon, and I don't see them offering anything comparable in the near future. |
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