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Title: Google plans to make PCs history
Source:
Guardian
URL Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technolog ... 5/google-drive-gdrive-internet
Published: Jan 26, 2009
Author: Staff
Post Date: 2009-01-26 01:32:17 by Horse
Keywords: None
Views: 88
Comments: 5
Industry critics warn of danger in giving internet leader more power Google is to launch a service that would enable users to access their personal computer from any internet connection, according to industry reports. But campaigners warn that it would give the online behemoth unprecedented control over individuals' personal data. The Google Drive, or "GDrive", could kill off the desktop computer, which relies on a powerful hard drive. Instead a user's personal files and operating system could be stored on Google's own servers and accessed via the internet. The long-rumoured GDrive is expected to be launched this year, according to the technology news website TG Daily, which described it as "the most anticipated Google product so far". It is seen as a paradigm shift away from Microsoft's Windows operating system, which runs inside most of the world's computers, in favour of "cloud computing", where the processing and storage is done thousands of miles away in remote data centres. Home and business users are increasingly turning to web-based services, usually free, ranging from email (such as Hotmail and Gmail) and digital photo storage (such as Flickr and Picasa) to more applications for documents and spreadsheets (such as Google Apps). The loss of a laptop or crash of a hard drive does not jeopardise the data because it is regularly saved in "the cloud" and can be accessed via the web from any machine. The GDrive would follow this logic to its conclusion by shifting the contents of a user's hard drive to the Google servers. The PC would be a simpler, cheaper device acting as a portal to the web, perhaps via an adaptation of Google's operating system for mobile phones, Android. Users would think of their computer as software rather than hardware. It is this prospect that alarms critics of Google's ambitions. Peter Brown, executive director of the Free Software Foundation, a charity defending computer users' liberties, did not dispute the convenience offered, but said: "It's a little bit like saying, 'we're in a dictatorship, the trains are running on time.' But does it matter to you that someone can see everything on your computer? Does it matter that Google can be subpoenaed at any time to hand over all your data to the American government?" Google refused to confirm the GDrive, but acknowledged the growing demand for cloud computing. Dave Armstrong, head of product and marketing for Google Enterprise, said: "There's a clear direction ... away from people thinking, 'This is my PC, this is my hard drive,' to 'This is how I interact with information, this is how I interact with the web.'"
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#1. To: Horse (#0)
blogs.zdnet.com/Google/?p=121 March 4th, 2006 Google GDrive is not a rumor Posted by Garett Rogers @ 9:37 am Categories: Google, Google Speculation Update: subscribe to this feed if you want to be the first to know when GDrive is made public. An interesting article by Greg Linden points to some slide comments from Google's Analyst Day Power Point presentation last week. The presentation was removed from Google's website but the text is still available in Greg's post. These notes clearly state efforts have been put towards "infinite storage" in terms of GDrive. In September I ran across compelling evidence that suggests a product by this name was either in the works, or at least being considered — at that time it was nothing more than speculation. Now, according to these notes it isn't far from reality. "With infinite storage, we can house all user files, including: emails, web history, pictures, bookmarks, etc and make it accessible from anywhere (any device, any platform, etc). We already have efforts in this direction in terms of GDrive, GDS, Lighthouse, but all of them face bandwidth and storage constraints today." — excerpt from Analyst Day presentation notes. The GDrive service will provide anyone (who trusts Google with their data) a universally accessible network share that spans across computers, operating systems and even devices. Users will no longer require third party applications to emulate this behaviour by abusing Gmail storage. In a Windows environment, most users know how to use the typical C: in "My Computer". Network drives work exactly the same but are given a different letter and the files within are not stored on the computer. If my suspicions are correct and GDrive is simply a network share, most applications could take advantage of this service without modification. The question of course is how Google will monetize a service like this. I cannot see how file storage using a network share could be used to serve up advertisements — so maybe they won't. In some screenshots of Gmail for domains, it appears there are different "account plans" that I assume provide additional email addresses. Could a similar system work for online storage? For example, 1GB free and pay $5 for each additional. Another way to generate income from this service would be to provide users a DVD backup of their data for a small monthly fee. Depending on how often a GDrive is used by someone, it could make sense to receive a backup on a regular schedule — while they are at it, why not include some "cool" extras on those DVD's? Online storage with GDrive could be an important part of Google's future plans — universal access to your data will soon become reality. Garett Rogers is employed as a programmer for iQmetrix, which specializes in retail management software for the wireless industry. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
Massive hard drives are so cheap these days, this idea is blatent idiocy. Most corporations and private individuals would rather keep their data within their own control for one. Additionally, the hardware of a computer still needs to be controlled by an operating system, and that operating system runs best locally, not over a network connection, no matter HOW fast that connection is. There's something to be said about SHARED drives if one wants to make their data public, but I can't see most people wanting to do so...
These people are stupid. Operating systems have to be on your system, or your computer won't be able to do anything useful. Da "Jews" living in fantasy land again milking the Google stock for all they can get out of gullible people.
God is always good!
Not to mention that google is so willing to turn over a persons search strings to the government. They arent trustworthy. And: Ex-Agent: CIA Seed Money Helped Launch Google www.prisonplanet.com/arti...r2006/061206seedmoney.htm .
Click for Privacy and Preparedness files Nehemiah 4:14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”
#2. To: Horse (#0)
#3. To: Horse (#0)
"The real deal is this: the ‘royalty’ controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil, automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children." - James Hansen
#4. To: Horse (#0)
a user's personal files and operating system could be stored on Google's own servers and accessed via the internet.
#5. To: FormerLurker, All (#3)
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