Google Set To Meld Google Drive With Chrome OS

MikeatWired writes "Google will tightly integrate its new Google Drive online storage service with an upcoming version of its Chrome OS operating system, says Sundar Pichai, who oversees development of the company's Chrome products as well as its Google Apps online services. Chrome OS is Google's effort to move all applications and data onto the web (and its Chrome browser), but the OS still hasn't mastered the art of moving files from place to place. By integrating Chrome OS with Google Drive — the online storage service Google introduced on Tuesday — the company seeks to correct this problem. 'With Chromebooks, [Google Drive] is even more powerful,' Pichai says, 'because it just starts working naturally. Your local drive is also Google Drive. This makes it really powerful because you just don't think about it.' Basically, Google Drive — a service that operates on the web — will perform as if it was the local file system. If you open the 'save file' dialog box on Chrome OS, for instance, the system will take you straight to Google Drive. 'We'll effectively integrate [Google] Drive into the native file system of Chrome OS,' says Scott Johnson, Google's Google Drive product manager. 'All the core OS functionality will use [Google] Drive as a place to store data — if that's what you opt in to.'"

Comments

Re:So they can own and track ALL your files?

[goombah99]

So if you write a manuscript for a movie on chrome OS then you are giving permission to google to make it into a movie if they want. Amazing.

Does this mean you also can't store on your G-drive anything you don't have permission to reproduce. For example, if I am reviewing a manuscript an I place it on my Gdrive then I've given permission to Google to reproduce it. Yet I don't have that permission to grant.

Nice toy for teenagers...

[dryriver]

I guess if you are in middle- or high-school, this could be a nice service for storing your homework and such. But if you are a business, or your files need to stay confidential for some other reason? I don't think Google Drive can be trusted with that kind of material. Even if it is encrypted or such. Just saying...

Re:So they can own and track ALL your files?

[Anonymous Coward]

They have to have those permissions for things like OCR and image search to work. If you really think their goal is to steal it, then I think you are a bit misinformed.

Re:So they can own and track ALL your files?

[TechNY]

Please submit me all of your personal files, tax returns, pictures of ex girlfriends and open your webcam. This is so that I can program my OCR to work better. Promise!

Re:So they can own and track ALL your files?

[Danzigism]

Unless of course, it infringes upon your own intellectual copyright.

Re:So they can own and track ALL your files?

[Anonymous Coward]

> They have to have those permissions for things like OCR and image search to work.

If you think that's the only implication, then I think you're a bit naiive.

For completeness, iCloud's terms:

[SirGarlon]

For completeness, Apple iCloud's terms of service say:

Except for material we may license to you, Apple does not claim ownership of the materials and/or Content you submit or make available on the Service. However, by submitting or posting such Content on areas of the Service that are accessible by the public or other users with whom you consent to share such Content, you grant Apple a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, publicly perform and publicly display such Content on the Service solely for the purpose for which such Content was submitted or made available, without any compensation or obligation to you.

Which sounds pretty reasonable. The problem comes earlier in the "agreement,"

Apple reserves the right to take steps Apple believes are reasonably necessary or appropriate to enforce and/or verify compliance with any part of this Agreement. You acknowledge and agree that Apple may, without liability to you, access, use, preserve and/or disclose your Account information and Content to law enforcement authorities, government officials, and/or a third party,

So the "agreement" grants Apple privileges to spy on your data and pass it along to any unspecified "third party" or their choice, if they feel like you might be doing something they dislike. I read it; I didn't sign it. I don't think anyone should.

It is powerful, you don't think about it

[Schiphol]

"This makes it really powerful because you just don't think about it". This is a pretty good summary of the way in which companies such as Google make their profit. These days, it is quite essential to "think about it".

Re:So they can own and track ALL your files?

[yincrash]

The TOS is for all Google services. It limits itself with a clause that follows that the GP decided to omit.

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).”

As well as this clause:

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.

The performance clause is almost certainly for other services besides Google Drive like YouTube.

Re:So they can own and track ALL your files?

[dontmakemethink]

Here's my terms:

Terms Of Service notifications are completely meaningless from corporate entities with absolutely no substantial liability for violating them. Go piss up a rope.

Re:So they can own and track ALL your files?

[rtfa-troll]

Because their standard license (which is what this is) also covers youtube, etc.

If Google goes bankrupt, then this license may end up being the only thing protecting your data. I don't think that they are doing this maliciously and I do think that if enough people protest that will fix it, but I don't think it should just be dismissed by saying "oh; they promised not to be evil". If you think Google can't go bankrupt, please remember that five years ago Microsoft also looked completely invulnerable. Almost nobody could imagine them not being dominant in personal computing. Things like iOS and Android turn up and suddenly they look like DEC dealing with the arrival of the Microprocessor. In ten years time the same could easily happen to Google.

Re:So they can own and track ALL your files?

[Local ID10T]

Dropbox's and Skydrive's terms are more sane.

Really? Read on...

Skydrive:

You understand that Microsoft may need, and you hereby grant Microsoft the right, to use, modify, adapt, reproduce, distribute, and display content posted on the service solely to the extent necessary to provide the service. ... In order to operate and provide the service, we collect certain information about you. As part of the service, we may also automatically upload information about your computer, your use of the service, and service performance. ... We may access or disclose information about you, including the content of your communications.

Dropbox:

We may need your permission to do things you ask us to do with your stuff, for example, hosting your files, or sharing them at your direction. This includes product features visible to you, for example, image thumbnails or document previews. It also includes design choices we make to technically administer our Services, for example, how we redundantly backup data to keep it safe. You give us the permissions we need to do those things solely to provide the Services. This permission also extends to trusted third parties we work with to provide the Services, for example Amazon, which provides our storage space.

Google:

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.

Things could be better worded all around... but that's what you get when lawyers get involved.