So would you use Google Drive? Solved - answer no.

[KBD47]

Next Google will be asking for X-Rays and Blood Test Results!

Nice one Thank God, they are not asking for DNA testing

but still I do not hate google

I don't hate google, I still use some of their services, but the fact is they make their money by knowing everything they can about you to sell your information to advertisers and for advertising. This is a bad business model if you don't want google knowing every aspect of your life, and there are alternatives to google.

[sunewbie]

I agree

[3fRI]

I confess that I'm tempted by 5 gigs....

[KBD47]

2 gigs free from dropbox, and I think 5 gigs from ubuntu one. Who needs google?

[sunewbie]

what about spideroak

[Murdock]

When you have a planet full of ****'s running-protecting the worlds govt's, Google is a mosquito bite.
Worry about the clowns with a badge and a tazer.
Go ahead and report me. I'm already on the no-fly list.....thank God.

[Murdock]

When you have a planet full of ****'s running-protecting the worlds govt's, Google is a mosquito bite.
Worry about the clowns with a badge and a tazer.
Go ahead and report me. I'm already on the no-fly list.....thank God.

OH Joy. They're here too.
How about Not Zees ?

[BubbaBlues]

I never use google. I only use ixquick, the best search engine with the best privacy policy there is.
http://www.ixquick.com

[viking777]

I think the first part of this post is quite relevant to this topic.

viewtopic.php?f=58&t=100825&start=0

[DrHu]

Well the Google storage is only 2GB, and extra costs you..
--the exact reason why when Google and other email providers offered large storage space for email etc, that there were some developers intending to use that storage beyond Google's specified purpose: that is, as personal offline storage

Or in the new jargon, cloud storage..

If there is some way of encrypting that data storage, I would consider it, but I don't want Google, Microsoft, Apple et all mining me for any information that they can sell to their direct pay vendors

Facebook is bad enough that they let 3rd parties make use of client/user data and bury it in a license agreement (which like credit cards licenses, no-one reads, nor can prevent vendor modifications except by canceling when discovered..)
--now that Google wants to compete more directly with Facebook, and get on the social net bandwagon, look out..

[/dev/urandom]

I will stick to Dropbox. I have about 6 GB free space there and working Android and WIndows clients without major issues.
Also, Google is evil. Putting personal files on their server ridicules me.

(Given that Linux Mint already uses alternative services ...)

BTW, there are certain services specialized in certain file types. Photos I usually host on min.us or 500px - because they are not "regular files".

[BubbaBlues]

I will stick to Dropbox. I have about 6 GB free space there and working Android and WIndows clients without major issues.
Also, Google is evil. Putting personal files on their server ridicules me.

(Given that Linux Mint already uses alternative services ...)

BTW, there are certain services specialized in certain file types. Photos I usually host on min.us or 500px - because they are not "regular files".

tinypic.com is a great place for photos as well.

[/dev/urandom]

Does tinypic have a decent gallery like min.us has?

[viking777]

I tend not to use the forum much at this time of year, and if you knew how long it has taken me to get online tonight you would know why . However I just couldn't resist quoting this in response to my own question. This is an extract from an article about Google Drive privacy policy which I read recently:

By signing up to Google Drive users give Google the right to "reproduce, modify, create derivative works, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute" their content. Even if users later delete their content and cease using the service Google retains these rights.

I think I shall mark this topic solved.

Hope you are all well, back soon, viking.

And remember the old motto boys and girls - "Don't be evil"

[3fRI]

I tend not to use the forum much at this time of year, and if you knew how long it has taken me to get online tonight you would know why . However I just couldn't resist quoting this in response to my own question. This is an extract from an article about Google Drive privacy policy which I read recently:

By signing up to Google Drive users give Google the right to "reproduce, modify, create derivative works, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute" their content. Even if users later delete their content and cease using the service Google retains these rights.

I think I shall mark this topic solved.

Hope you are all well, back soon, viking.

And remember the old motto boys and girls - "Don't be evil"

Thanks, Viking, for the info and update. As I wrote above, I was tempted by the 5 GB, and since I already had a +Google account, I also added Google Drive. Since then, I've left (and deleted content from, I hope,) Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn. My preferred backup and storage remains an external HD.

Yes, the question is solved and the answer is no.

[GregE]

The survey indicates that 71% of respondents do use cloud storage and of that 71% more than half use Google Drive. So where do you get SOLVED = NO?

Would I put company secrets on a cloud drive? No, and that includes Dropbox or any of the others. Would I put my beef stew recipe in the Google Drive? Yes I would, and then have access to it from my Android Tablet and my Android Phone and my Notebook. Access from anywhere on any device. My kid uses Google drive to back up her homework. For school work you would be a mug not to use Google Drive or some other. Stolen notebook - no problem. Dead USB drive - no problem.

No one says that you have to just use Google Drive or just use USB backup. You have the choice to pick and choose which medium best suits your needs for each and every task. Our Google Drives are incredibly useful for my family. Do we put everything into Google Drive? Of course not. I also have external USB drives and a NAS.

If you use GMail and have an Android Tablet and an Android phone then all of your contacts, bookmarks, favorites and selected documents can be seamlessly shared without any effort from you. Phone stolen? Get a new one, log in and within seconds you are back where you were.

If you have a Google account then you have a Docs account and a Google Drive. It is up to you decide what you use it for. Not using it for your beef stew recipe is being paranoid. Not using it for something you do not want anyone to know is just common sense.

The world is not black and white, it is a continuum of shades of gray.

[aes2011]

The survey indicates that 71% of respondents do use cloud storage and of that 71% more than half use Google Drive. So where do you get SOLVED = NO?
... The world is not black and white, it is a continuum of shades of gray.

It's fashionable to hold extreme views.

[sunewbie]

thank you viking777 for providing this info

[KBD47]

I think it is worth keeping in mind that the google business model involves knowing everything they can about you to sell to advertisers. If there are things you don't want them to know, or if you merely value your privacy, they are probably not someone whose products you want to make use of. I use them lightly, and sign out of everything I use of theirs' now. They have wonderful software, but it comes with a price--your privacy.

[aes2011]

I think it is worth keeping in mind that the google business model involves knowing everything they can about you to sell to advertisers. If there are things you don't want them to know, or if you merely value your privacy, they are probably not someone whose products you want to make use of. I use them lightly, and sign out of everything I use of theirs' now. They have wonderful software, but it comes with a price--your privacy.

You have quite a few posts in this thread saying essentially the same thing