Google Drive has been launched !

[LurkerBaba]

(Full rollout may take a while)

https://drive.google.com/start

 

[LurkerBaba]

Cloud storage is gonna get cheaper !

 

[LurkerBaba]

Obligatory comparison article

Google Drive vs. SkyDrive vs. Dropbox | Geek.com

Free Space

Extra space

Supported platforms

 

[Razor]

I have a question. Why would I buy 100 GB at $50 when I bought my 2TB External HDD for $110. I mean the only benefit I see is it can be accessed anywhere, but even that is offset by my External HDD.

 

[utubekhiladi]

Google Drive owns everything you upload, says the terms of service

Summary: Dropbox and Microsoft's SkyDrive allows you to retain your copyright and IP rights to the work you upload to the service. Google Drive, however, takes everything you own.

Within hours of Google launching its new online storage service, the terms and service have come under heavy fire by the wider community for how it handles users' copyright and intellectual property rights.

After Dropbox and Microsoft's SkyDrive — the two most popular online storage services on the web — Google was late to the party by a number of years. While Google needed no advertising to drum up support, what may hold back uptake is that as per the company's terms and conditions, the rights to the files you upload to Google Drive will be passed on to the search giant.

A quick analysis of Google's terms of service shows how the search company owns the files you upload the minute they are submitted, and can in effect do anything it wants to your files — and that's final.

But there is a small catch. Here's what the terms say:

Dropbox — terms can be found here:

"Your Stuff & Your Privacy: By using our Services you provide us with information, files, and folders that you submit to Dropbox (together, "your stuff"). You retain full ownership to your stuff. We don't claim any ownership to any of it. These Terms do not grant us any rights to your stuff or intellectual property except for the limited rights that are needed to run the Services, as explained below."

Microsoft's SkyDrive — terms can be found here:

"5. Your Content: Except for material that we license to you, we don't claim ownership of the content you provide on the service. Your content remains your content. We also don't control, verify, or endorse the content that you and others make available on the service."

Google Drive — terms can be found here:

"Your Content in our Services: When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide licence to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes that we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content.

The rights that you grant in this licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This licence continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing that you have added to Google Maps)."

The last sentence makes all the difference. While these rights are limited to essentially making Google Drive better and to develop new services run by Google, the scope is not defined and could extend far further than one would expect.

Simply put: there's no definitive boundary that keeps Google from using what it likes from what you upload to its service.

The chances are Google's terms will never be an issue — and it is likely over-zealous lawyers making sure Google doesn't somehow get screwed in the long run by a lawsuit — but it may be enough to push away a great number of entrepreneurs and creative workers who rely on holding on to the rights to their own work.

The fact is, according to its terms, Google may own any code or product you ultimately upload to its new Google Drive service, whether you realise it or not.

It always pays to read the fine print.

I asked Google to see if they can shed light on how its terms of service translates in comparison to other, rival services. Google did not respond at the time of publication.

How far does Google Drive's terms go in 'owning' your files? | ZDNet

 

[Razor]

^^ This is another negative. You compromise privacy and in Google's case, according to above poster will lose ownership also.
Can you answer my question, how does such a business survive with such prices and such disadvantages. In effect I am asking you of its unique advantages, if any that can make it attractive in the market.

 

[Predator]

bonanza for NSA, now they can access all your personal data at one place and keep tabs on you

 

[LurkerBaba]

Google Drive owns everything you upload, says the terms of service

Summary: Dropbox and Microsoft's SkyDrive allows you to retain your copyright and IP rights to the work you upload to the service. Google Drive, however, takes everything you own.

Within hours of Google launching its new online storage service, the terms and service have come under heavy fire by the wider community for how it handles users' copyright and intellectual property rights.

After Dropbox and Microsoft's SkyDrive — the two most popular online storage services on the web — Google was late to the party by a number of years. While Google needed no advertising to drum up support, what may hold back uptake is that as per the company's terms and conditions, the rights to the files you upload to Google Drive will be passed on to the search giant.

A quick analysis of Google's terms of service shows how the search company owns the files you upload the minute they are submitted, and can in effect do anything it wants to your files — and that's final.

But there is a small catch. Here's what the terms say:

Dropbox — terms can be found here:

"Your Stuff & Your Privacy: By using our Services you provide us with information, files, and folders that you submit to Dropbox (together, "your stuff"). You retain full ownership to your stuff. We don't claim any ownership to any of it. These Terms do not grant us any rights to your stuff or intellectual property except for the limited rights that are needed to run the Services, as explained below."

Microsoft's SkyDrive — terms can be found here:

"5. Your Content: Except for material that we license to you, we don't claim ownership of the content you provide on the service. Your content remains your content. We also don't control, verify, or endorse the content that you and others make available on the service."

Google Drive — terms can be found here:

"Your Content in our Services: When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide licence to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes that we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content.

The rights that you grant in this licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This licence continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing that you have added to Google Maps)."

The last sentence makes all the difference. While these rights are limited to essentially making Google Drive better and to develop new services run by Google, the scope is not defined and could extend far further than one would expect.

Simply put: there's no definitive boundary that keeps Google from using what it likes from what you upload to its service.

The chances are Google's terms will never be an issue — and it is likely over-zealous lawyers making sure Google doesn't somehow get screwed in the long run by a lawsuit — but it may be enough to push away a great number of entrepreneurs and creative workers who rely on holding on to the rights to their own work.

The fact is, according to its terms, Google may own any code or product you ultimately upload to its new Google Drive service, whether you realise it or not.

It always pays to read the fine print.

I asked Google to see if they can shed light on how its terms of service translates in comparison to other, rival services. Google did not respond at the time of publication.

How far does Google Drive's terms go in 'owning' your files? | ZDNet

^^ This is another negative. You compromise privacy and in Google's case, according to above poster will lose ownership also.
Can you answer my question, how does such a business survive with such prices and such disadvantages. In effect I am asking you of its unique advantages, if any that can make it attractive in the market.

bonanza for NSA, now they can access all your personal data at one place and keep tabs on you

It's misinformation, here is the correct TOS:

https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/

"" Some of our Services allow you to submit content. You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours.

When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide licence to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes that we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights that you grant in this licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This licence continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing that you have added to Google Maps). Some Services may offer you ways to access and remove content that has been provided to that Service. Also, in some of our Services, there are terms or settings that narrow the scope of our use of the content submitted in those Services. Make sure that you have the necessary rights to grant us this licence for any content you submit to our Services.""

 

[utubekhiladi]

It's misinformation, here is the correct TOS:

https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/

"" Some of our Services allow you to submit content. You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours.

When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide licence to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes that we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights that you grant in this licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This licence continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing that you have added to Google Maps). Some Services may offer you ways to access and remove content that has been provided to that Service. Also, in some of our Services, there are terms or settings that narrow the scope of our use of the content submitted in those Services. Make sure that you have the necessary rights to grant us this licence for any content you submit to our Services.""

baba, read again..

When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide licence to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes that we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights that you grant in this licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This licence continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing that you have added to Google Maps). Some Services may offer you ways to access and remove content that has been provided to that Service. Also, in some of our Services, there are terms or settings that narrow the scope of our use of the content submitted in those Services. Make sure that you have the necessary rights to grant us this licence for any content you submit to our Services.

 

[LurkerBaba]

baba, read again..

When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide licence to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes that we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights that you grant in this licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This licence continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing that you have added to Google Maps). Some Services may offer you ways to access and remove content that has been provided to that Service. Also, in some of our Services, there are terms or settings that narrow the scope of our use of the content submitted in those Services. Make sure that you have the necessary rights to grant us this licence for any content you submit to our Services.

Err, no. That doesn't mean Google owns your content. It means they can duplicate it, translate , distribute etc to improve their services. It clearly says that you're owner of your content

Some of our Services allow you to submit content. You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours.

https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/

 

[utubekhiladi]

Err, no. That doesn't mean Google owns your content. It means they can duplicate it, translate , distribute etc to improve their services. It clearly says that you're owner of your content



https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/

where is saya when we need a lawyer

 

[Predator]

Check this
Modifying and Terminating our Services

Google may also stop providing Services to you, or add or create new limits to our Services at any time.

you backup all your data to google drive and one fine day you are shocked to find google has deleted your account

don't depend on google for your personal or business data storage, you will regret it later

 

[LurkerBaba]

where is saya when we need a lawyer

No it's pretty simple.

You own the content.

But Google can do stuff like Translation, redistribution etc

The rights that you grant in this licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones.

 

[nrj]

Works like a charm on Android

 

[Mad Indian]

Err, no. That doesn't mean Google owns your content. It means they can duplicate it, translate , distribute etc to improve their services. It clearly says that you're owner of your content
https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/

But does it not mean that we lose the Intellectual property rights of it?

 

[pmaitra]

I have a question. Why would I buy 100 GB at $50 when I bought my 2TB External HDD for $110. I mean the only benefit I see is it can be accessed anywhere, but even that is offset by my External HDD.

Very true. However, you don't have to physically carry your HDD around; you just have to keep the password in mind. Moreover, you have backup. If I were paying, I would not let anyone have rights on the data.

Google Drive owns everything you upload, says the terms of service

Summary: Dropbox and Microsoft's SkyDrive allows you to retain your copyright and IP rights to the work you upload to the service. Google Drive, however, takes everything you own.

Well, those are the conditions. Love it or leave it. I don't mind keeping my tax documents etc., there, because, if I am playing by the rules, why should I be scared of anything at all?

^^ This is another negative. You compromise privacy and in Google's case, according to above poster will lose ownership also.
Can you answer my question, how does such a business survive with such prices and such disadvantages. In effect I am asking you of its unique advantages, if any that can make it attractive in the market.

You compromise on the privacy in any case. If the government wants, they can go in and check every single gyte stored in whatsoever account.

bonanza for NSA, now they can access all your personal data at one place and keep tabs on you

Same as earlier: if I am playing by the rules, why should I be scared of anything at all?

 

[Predator]

Same as earlier: if I am playing by the rules, why should I be scared of anything at all?

and they can change the rules whenever they please and turn perfectly legal things illegal.

previously on youtube [now owned by google] you could upload video songs from movies, i had over 20 of these songs in my account, then they changed rules and made it illegal and deleted my account. so never trust such cloud services.

keep your data under your watch, you never know what they might do with your data. they may data-mine, share it 3rd party, they may get hacked or they might be forced to reveal your data under duress.

 

[pmaitra]

and they can change the rules whenever they please and turn perfectly legal things illegal.

previously on youtube [now owned by google] you could upload video songs from movies, i had over 20 of these songs in my account, then they changed rules and made it illegal and deleted my account. so never trust such cloud services.

keep your data under your watch, you never know what they might do with your data. they may data-mine, share it 3rd party, they may get hacked or they might be forced to reveal your data under duress.

You have a point.

Yes, better safe than be sorry. We should be very careful about what we save in the cloud.