will you trust GDrive with your data?

i definitely trust Google, but i think i'd better have a backup for my data

 

It's funny to come across this thread as I was going to set-up an Online Drive with GoDaddy tonight. This will mainly be for my photographs, as I would like to back them up somewhere (cheap) and CDs are all right, but I don't want dozens of CDs floating around. Plus, I have already paid GoDaddy for 5GB hosting x 4, so I might as well use it right? I probably won't put any sensitive info (back account numbers etc.) anywhere on the net though. I'm too paranoid for that!

 

I would not keep my sensitive data on web. If i had to keep (no other choice left), then i would trust google.

 

How about looking at it from this angle...

What's in it for Google?

It doesn't make any commercial business sense to hand out a lot of space willy nilly. There is obviously something they want out of it. Just added value to their user experience? Or will they collect data about the data in some form?

 

I trust Google, but to store sensitive data indefinitely is scary. Anyhow, why would you need to store sensitive data on a server halfway across the planet, where you can just buy a 200 gig hard disk and store it on your local machine? I don’t think anyone would have 200 gig worth of sensitive data right?

 

I think google's new year resolution is to roll out a new service every week or atleast roll out a news for their upcoming service.

 

Good point. But you could ask the same thing about the free Wi-fi they hand out, and the free mail service with so much storage.

What's in it for them is insight into each individual, and the ability to deliver more relevant ads.

More relevance = more clicks = more $ for Google

My laptop died yesterday. It sure would be nice to have an online backup system, rather than now having to extract the data from the hard drive

 

So you agree they're after getting to know you. I don't want them to know every step I take. Every click I do. Etc.

I'd rather get a $100 external hardrive and synch my files within my own home.

 

Of course they're getting to know you. But that's not a bad thing. Just think, of the millions of people Google will be 'getting to know', what will make you especially important that it's a danger that they know you.

Quite frankly, I couldn't care less if they remember what I search for, and who I email. I'm not doing anything dangerous/incriminating. If I were, I'd already being taking some measure to protect myself. But for the average Joe, it doesn't matter. It just means more free tools, and some ads to put up with.

 

And then one of their algo's flagged a file containing 'bomb' and 'wtc' on your space and you get arrested and put in prison with no questions asked, no trial etc.

I see what you are saying though, it depends on what you use it for. I just don't like being dependant on others. I trust myself better.

 

I think that's taking it a little far. But judging by people's reactions, I think many people worry about that.

That is highly unlikely. I imagine there are hundreds of gmail emails flying around everyday with 'bomb' in them. Examples: 'I really bombed my presentation', 'that place was the bomb' (no, I'm not cool enough to write that in any of my own emails though)

No one would ever be thrown in jail with no questions asked. We live in North America remember, where real criminals go unpunished every day!

 

I actually think the whole concept is inevitable anyway.

Google is just the first person to do it. I wouldnt be surprised if in 50 years the whole world will just be a terminal network, i.e. all data will be kept in one place, and you will be able to log in to your own personalized world from any PC anywhere.

If I was Google right now Id be working on integrating their supposed new OS with GDrive, pretty much to create a global terminal based network.

 

No for me as well... i dont mind spending $80 on external drives...

 

The question could be

Is Google still good or already dangerous?

 

But what happens if your house burns down, with both your PC and external drives inside?

Or what happens when you drop by your grandmother's house, and she would like the latest Arcade Fire album in MP3, and you didn't think to bring your drive with you. You could just sign in and download it to her PC.

 

It's a pretty well known practise amongst those keeping good back-ups to always have an off-site copy. Your mom's place or your locked drawer at work is a good one.

For your second scenario you have your home ftp server to which you can log in (if your house isn't burnt down).

 

I'd rather staple my testicles to the table than give Google my hard drive. :/

 

Yes, I do both of these things, but I imagine that the vast majority of people are clueless about FTP, and simply don't run backups, let alone off-site copies

 

I won't trust anyone with my sensitive data

 

Like most other technical people on this thread, I wouldn't trust anyone with my sensitive data. But as for the general population I don't know what their reaction would be - I can see many people signing up for it, and using it as an off-site backup or way of trading MP3s between machines or whatever.

dsm56 - I agree with your prediction, and I'm not sure its going to take 50 years to get there. However I foresee that as a paid storage/application solution, not a free service to entice people to hand over personal/sensitive/valuable data about themselves and/or their friends.