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According to a Google presentation, the company is optimistic about unlimited storage capacities

Ever since Google released its highly acclaimed GMail service, many users have found interesting ways to make the most of the available space provided by Google. While other free email services battle over megabytes of free space, Google currently leads all other services by the gigabytes. Using 3rd party utilities, it is possible to map your GMail account as a psuedo-drive in Windows and use the account as a drag-and-drop file system. With these tools, some users have even sent themselves invites to chain together accounts for an effectively unlimited amount of network storage space.

According to reports however, sometime in the near future this activity may no longer be limited to 3rd party utilities. On Google's analyst day, a document presented contained information about a possible service called GDrive. The details in the presentation indicate that Google's long term goal is to provide a service to users that give unlimited amounts of storage space so that any type of file can be uploaded and stored. The presentation even indicates the service may be built to allow users access to their files from any device, and any location.  The Google presentation, before it was editted and removed by Google, read (emphasis ours):

Theme 2: Store 100% of User Data
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.

Naturally, privacy concerns are rising with regards to Google's goals of collecting information. In the presentation, Google even indicates that it plans to collect "all" of the world's information, not just some of it. In this regard, it could be possible for Google to provide high-level services for government bodies that wish to collect information in a manner that would otherwise be too difficult without Google's search spiders.

No information on whether or not Google also plans to offer these types of storage services for fee-based subscriptions, though Garett Rogers from ZDNet hypothesizes: 

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.

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Worried
By igloo15 on 3/5/2006 2:12:13 AM , Rating: 2
I am kinda worried about this after the recent thing with Google desktop search indexing my computers files to their servers and now google wants me to put all my files on their server as part of some access anywhere unlimited storage thing. Whats to say that google doesn't just access my files and what not.

Someone could come up with a good conspiracy that Google is just a government front trying to gain greater access to everyone's lives!




RE: Worried
By bunnyfubbles on 3/5/2006 4:43:51 AM , Rating: 2
um, password protect your files?


RE: Worried
By smitty3268 on 3/5/2006 5:50:47 AM , Rating: 5
Right, because the government could never crack a simple password.

This service is both incredibly useful and incredibly dangerous. We'll see how it turns out.


RE: Worried
By smitty3268 on 3/5/06, Rating: 0
RE: Worried
By smitty3268 on 3/5/2006 5:53:53 AM , Rating: 5
Right, because the government could never crack a simple password.

This service is both incredibly useful and incredibly dangerous. We'll see how it turns out.


RE: Worried
By smitty3268 on 3/5/2006 5:55:00 AM , Rating: 2
Sorry about the multiple posts - my ISP had some difficulties. Feel free to mod them down.


RE: Worried
By AnnihilatorX on 3/6/2006 1:48:29 PM , Rating: 2
Depends on what encryption level you use really
512 bit encryption schemes are available on consumer compression programs such as StuffIt.

512bits encryption would require massive computing power to be brute force cracked. Not that government wouldn't have the resources to. But I doubt they would waste 3 days computing time of 10 servers to crack a single file to sue one individual. And there can be thousands of encrypted files that they don't know whether they contain illegal information or not.


RE: Worried
By IsDanReally on 3/6/2006 2:07:22 PM , Rating: 2
Like others have said, password protect your files or encrpt them...or only upload files you want people to see.

Seems like a useful service to me. Certainly an easy way to share large files with friends and family.


RE: Worried
By osalcido on 3/6/2006 4:46:27 PM , Rating: 2
google doesnt want you to put all your files on their computers... theyre just giving you that option

just don't upload any of your criminal organization's word documents and youll be fine :P


Needless
By Orbitration on 3/5/2006 10:06:40 AM , Rating: 2
Three reasons this wouldn't work for me, at least:
1: I have my own 1/2 terabyte storage right next to me.

2: I can't imagine downloading 4 gigs of info at 150K (dsl speeds) if I ever needed to retrieve a drive of info.

3: Like I really want my files on a public server that will be accessible by the government anytime they want. (regardless of Google's 'stance' on the matter ~~ How long will THAT last... Google vs. US Gov't ~~ not long )




RE: Needless
By IsDanReally on 3/6/2006 4:25:25 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
2: I can't imagine downloading 4 gigs of info at 150K (dsl speeds) if I ever needed to retrieve a drive of info.

Upgrade to cable then. Even with my slow Road Runner connection, I can sustain 600K/sec downloads. Much better than the slow T1 at work.


RE: Needless
By NullSubroutine on 3/6/2006 11:59:55 PM , Rating: 2
600k down yes, 30k up yes = typical cable
187k down yes, 187k up yes = typical t1

t1's also usually offer more simutanous connections and is much mores teady in terms of throughput.


RE: Needless
By Orbitration on 3/7/2006 4:43:24 PM , Rating: 2
heh. I'd LOVE to get cable. It's the availability that's lacking where I live.
I'm lucky to get DSL, having been on dialup for 8 years. There are no plans for cable internet here. (high southwest desert, USA)


encryption anyone?
By sir scott on 3/5/2006 12:02:08 PM , Rating: 2
If you're worried about google reading all your information, perhaps you could *encrypt* your documents? Something like say, pgp?

Actually what interests me if its possible to layer a third party service on TOP of google's gdrive. It would basically interface to it, but as data passes through to the gdrive, it encrypts it with your private key. Very similiar to Windows' EFS. Just a thought :)

~ smacdo




RE: encryption anyone?
By ahkey on 3/6/2006 9:16:30 AM , Rating: 2
What is it exactly that everyone's so afraid of here? If you advocate freedom of information, you've got to expect to be a part of that sharing - or would you rather everything was firewalled or on paid subscription?

Unless you're working for an industry and for that reason have files that simply can't be shared, what is it you're so afraid of the government uncovering?


Privacy an non issue
By OrSin on 3/6/2006 3:39:12 PM , Rating: 2
First encrypting your files is safe enought. Key words enough. Yes the encrption can be broken but who will put in that kind of effort to get me kids photos. Good free encryption programs are a dime a dozen. Second, I not a prude or anything but i donlt really ahve anything that would shattering on my hard drive. Maybe I'm just too laid back. I don;t card is some couls look over 99.999% of my files and the .0001% can stay on my home computer or flash drive. Which really isn't too much more secure. People think way too much about who cares about thier little crap.


piracy
By doughtree on 3/5/2006 2:38:17 AM , Rating: 2
People will use it to share pirated software, no?




RE: piracy
By PrinceGaz on 3/5/2006 8:06:29 AM , Rating: 2
Quite possibly. If they're not careful, Google could end up being used as an alternative to binary newsgroups, with the advantage that it has an unlimited retention period and you don't have to worry about completion levels.

Then Google could sell the IP addresses of uploaders to the MPAA etc because Google is evil :)


RE: piracy
By Runiteshark on 3/5/2006 9:11:48 AM , Rating: 1
That is a very scary thought indeed. If people do use this to pirate (which I am 100% sure they will, atleast I will), then they could turn around and sell this information like you said.


Its just, disgusting.


Rofl
By Griswold on 3/5/2006 5:18:32 AM , Rating: 2
Not with my files.




RE: Rofl
By osalcido on 3/6/2006 4:49:31 PM , Rating: 2
this is google

plz gimme ur filez lolz we need em lolz


.Mac?
By UlricT on 3/5/2006 10:23:05 AM , Rating: 2
Isn't this essentially what a .mac account lets you do (among other things)? Why were people not predicting the violation of all that is near/dear to them when apple brought it out?




RE: .Mac?
By Orbitration on 3/5/2006 10:25:06 AM , Rating: 2
Was that sarcasm ?


Why is this useful?
By PLaYaHaTeD on 3/6/2006 9:41:32 AM , Rating: 2
I don't understand why people would risk their privacy for universal file access. Anyone with a broadband connection and windows xp can access their files from anywhere. It's called Remote Desktop. Don't want to keep track of your dynamic ip? Visit no-ip.com for details on how to make this a none issue.




RE: Why is this useful?
By ninjit on 3/6/2006 2:47:32 PM , Rating: 2
Depends oh how mobile you are...

I move around alot, and sometimes the storage capacities on a laptop just aren't enough. Plus it's a scary thought having all my information residing on something as dropable as a notebook.

If I'm on the road, and have done a lot of work (not neccessarily a lot in terms of space, but a lot of typing say for a report or code), it would suck to have all that dissappears simply from a hard drive failure or (more likely) having the laptop stolen.

Yeh, you can carry a portable external drive with you (Lacie makes some real nice ones), but that's just one more thing to carry - and where would most people pack something like that? In the same bag with their laptop of course, so that it can get stolen/damaged along with everything else.

So, an easy way to access and backup my files remotely is very appealing to me. I already subscribe to Streamload for this, but if/when this Gdrive ever gets off the ground I'd be very interested.


hmmmm..
By randomlinh on 3/5/2006 7:49:06 AM , Rating: 2
very interesting... I agree.. could be a great thing.. but at the same time... very very dangerous. I would love to have some online storage as a remote backup.. it's the one flaw in my backup methods.





Typo..
By SpaceRanger on 3/5/2006 10:12:28 AM , Rating: 2
anlaysis???




Oh boy....here we go...
By breethon on 3/6/2006 8:02:29 PM , Rating: 2
Comcast is going to cancel your account...just wait and see. Don't use too much of your "unlimited" connection. Oh, and you are uploading stuff? You better switch to a commercial account. LOL. If you have Comcast, and actually use your connection, you know what I mean.




It has begun
By mjdaly on 3/7/2006 8:09:44 PM , Rating: 2
Some of this just seems too close to be comfortable.

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/epic




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