There was a rumor circulating around the tech world a few weeks ago about Google buying shipping containers, filling them with blade servers, RAIDs, backup power supplies, and placing them at strategic locations all over the country. Looks like all stories eventually become true.....
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:12 am Posts: 1080 Location: boulder
It'll be interesting to see how Google plans to make money off of this, although I think there's huge potential to do just that. If they do this right (and I'm sure they will), they won't actually have to store every single user's files because, as the number of users grows, the number of files that users have in common also grows. So instead of storing 50 separate "Pearl Jam - DTE.mp3" files, they just need to store one and link to it for each user. So the amount of storage needed is probably nothing near linear when you think about how there are only so many different copies of the largest files (mp3s, movies) out there - think p2p networks.
Anyway, I'm not sure the idea is ever going to become as popular as gmail (since email is so commonplace and not everyone needs more storage), but it could be pretty damn revolutionary. The only thing I'd be somewhat worried about is the government trying to strong-arm Google for its information. I trust Google with the information far more than I trust the government.
_________________ "my fading voice sings, of love..."
With gmail, I don't use it so I'mnot sure, don't you allow google to search through your emails? They mine that data for their customers.... 'anonymously' of coure.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
Anyone else think Google is going to end up being SkyNet?
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
It'll be interesting to see how Google plans to make money off of this, although I think there's huge potential to do just that. If they do this right (and I'm sure they will), they won't actually have to store every single user's files because, as the number of users grows, the number of files that users have in common also grows. So instead of storing 50 separate "Pearl Jam - DTE.mp3" files, they just need to store one and link to it for each user. So the amount of storage needed is probably nothing near linear when you think about how there are only so many different copies of the largest files (mp3s, movies) out there - think p2p networks.
Anyway, I'm not sure the idea is ever going to become as popular as gmail (since email is so commonplace and not everyone needs more storage), but it could be pretty damn revolutionary. The only thing I'd be somewhat worried about is the government trying to strong-arm Google for its information. I trust Google with the information far more than I trust the government.
Scott? You're alive? Glad to see you back! Anyway, sorry, I'm off-topic. Excuse me, nothing to see here.
I can honestly say I would have no use for GDrive, and I'd be willing to bet most people won't. I have a hard drive that I will never fill, not mention hard drives are dirt cheap nowadays.
Google needs to realize they are not a tech company, they are an advertising company. If they screw up the advertising end of their company while they are working of all of these other projects, they will not have a company.
I can honestly say I would have no use for GDrive, and I'd be willing to bet most people won't. I have a hard drive that I will never fill, not mention hard drives are dirt cheap nowadays.
It's not just extra storage space.... it's like a backup of your harddrive that is accessable from anywhere in the world. Want to listen to your mp3 collection at work? Gdrive. Want to share the pics of you last vacation with Aunt Edna w/o emailing them? Gdrive.
It's risky from a business standpoint, but if you could ahve your home office HDD accessable (and theoretically safe) from anywhere in th world... that would sell.
You can already do all of that with PC Anywhere or Flickr. It does have some value, and I'm sure they would make it a lot easier to use than anything else on the market. I just think they need to come up with a source of revenue that doesn't involve advertising. I don't see this as being one of them as I don't see many people paying for this serivce, so it will be pasted with advertising.
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