GDrive/Platypus - Google's next big thing, or a disaster-in-waiting

OK, while we're on the subject, let's speculate on what the next big hit from Google might be. My favorite speculation is that it will be GDrive.

Artechnica quotes from a February, 2006 Google analysts' presentation that describes the apparent goal of GDrive: "a world of infinite storage, bandwidth, and CPU power." The idea is to use GDrive as your main storage device, rather than your computer disk drive. Google wants to supply enough storage space so that nobody ever runs out.

There are great advantages. No worries about backing up files. If you spill coffee on your computer and zap it into oblivion, your data is still safe. While playing with Writely, Corsin Camichael stumbled across a page that described "Platypus," which bloggers now suspect may be the code name for GDrive. The advantages are described this way:

        A filer for the whole world. But better.

 

Storing your files in   Platypus has a number of advantages over storing your files on either your C: drive   or filer. Backup.        If you lose your computer, grab a new one and reinstall Platypus. Your        files will be on your new machine in minutes. Sync.        Keep all your machines synchronized, even if they run different        operating systems. VPN-less        access. Not at a Google computer? View your files on the web at        http://troutboard.com/p. Collaborate.        Create shared spaces to which multiple Googlers can write. Disconnected        access. On the plane? VPN broken? All your files are still        accessible.

Sync implies the drive will be compatible with any computer, Mac, PCs, Linux, whatever. The question "Not at a Google Computer?" implies that this is actually an internal system for Google employees, and that they can get access to their data from the Web. They could be testing internally beofre outside release. Disconnected access--I don't know what this means. The data will also be stored in your own computer (constantly synched with GDrive) so that you can still get at it if you're offline?

This could also be something to be released with a Google-branded computer, designed to automatically use the virtual storage device. It's a great combination that could really threaten Microsoft. One of Google's very smart strategies is to recognize that data storage is incredibly cheap, and it can use it as a competitive advantage. Other companies, such as Yahoo, are reluctant to do that, because they want to use limited storage as an incentive to get you to upgrads to more powerful products.

But the risks are also huge. John Battelle at Searchblog doesn't trust Google enough to let the company have all his data. Personally, I do. I accept the loss of privacy in today's world, mainly because I don't really do anything controversial enough to raise my visibility to the top of a pile of millions of other people, thus catching the attention of government spies. I even email myself stuff through gmail just to have an easy backup. I know it's there forever. But maybe I'm stupid.

However, imagine this becoming a big hit, and somebody at Google screws up and all our data is released to the world. Or hackers break into it. Or the U.S. or other governments hand Google supbpoenas to investigate alleged illegal activity. In fact, that last one is a given.

All of a sudden, Google would lose a huge amount of public trust. The backlash could be enormous. People would bail out of the system (if there's an easy way to move or delete all your files, anyway.) If you can't delete your data, the backlash will be even bigger. This could be the catalyst to the undoing of all Google's plans to get us to use its software services.

But my guess is that people will use it. Most of us don't seem concerned enough about privacy to use the encryption products out there.

And that brings us to the next next big thing Google ought to do: Develop or buy its own encryption system, running on all its servers, so that nobody will be able to get at our data. It would be safer for Google to run that system for us, rather than relying on individuals to keep from screwing up their data protection schemes.

A Google PC, Platypus and encryption could be an incredible killer combination.

Comments

[/pd]

Yes, remember the Google Cube that they were supposed to be working on -in the dungeons of googleplex ?? :)-

to sell for less then $100/- thru a walmart strategy ..

Keep eyes peeled and ear close to the ground !!

[Sam]

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