Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's (Explorer, Finder, Dolphin, Nautilus) in (Windows, OS X, KDE, Gnome). Or you could go with (Seafood) for (Linux) ;).
Seafood? Who eats dolphin or nautilus?
I don't know, the Chinese?
Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
211–220 of 221 posts
Re: Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
#212Earlier quoted context omitted.
Netscape initially charged for the browser. "Netscape Navigator was not free to the general public until January 1998" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape
I know that it was supposed to cost money but I have never met anyone, outside of corporations, that actually paid for Navigator. My ISP included it in their software packet, my school had it readily available. I think they were doing "free for noncommercial uses" license because most of the people I knew then I wouldn't consider a software pirate.
I still have my Netscape Navigator 3 box, manual and floppies that I bought from my local computer shop back in 1996.
Re: Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
#213Earlier quoted context omitted.
Good example. MS successfully killed off Netscape (the company) within a few years by bundling an inferior browser. It also prevented them from entering desktop OS, which was perceived as a threat back in the day. Edit: FYI, Mosaic was the one I had in mind, which was free.
In it's day, IE was not an inferior browser. Quiet the opposite, actually.
IE3 was horrendous. The tide only turned with the release of IE4.
Re: Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
#214Earlier quoted context omitted.
You'd be surprised how difficult "giving it away" can be, even for Google. Google succeeded big on giving away email, search, and androids. Do I need to list up all the acquisitions and products that even with a mortal lock on navigation on the Internet Google couldn't convince people was worth at least $0?
Dropbox can take the approach of not worrying if they want. Standing on years of head start perhaps. However: File sync strikes me as a lot closer to email than . Additionally, it seems logical to build/ship GDrive right into android. I say again: I'd worry like hell.
If they have a decent business plan, some well thought out contingencies, and the ability/willingness to compete, they'll be fine for a while yet.
They have specific brand momentum (where Google's momentum is not specific to the product) which counts for a lot when dealing with the general public.
I wouldn't worry like hell. Though I would worry a healthy amount: I'd keeping a very close eye on how this pans out, and would re-double efforts to make sure I didn't fall behind on product development, quality and support.
Re: Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
#215Earlier quoted context omitted.
And really it's their lack of an interface--it just works.
I WISH I could remember who said it, but I applies here and in so many other areas: You must offer the consumer something MUCH better than what they already have to get them to switch from something they like. Google Maps dis this when Mapquest was the standard. Does GDrive do that? Not yet.
I agree with what you wrote mostly.
What dropbox could do to mess up and give Google a chance to do something much better is this: don't give people more free space when the average user struggles with the 2GB limit.
One of the things that made gmail a success was that hotmail and the rest cheaper out on space. People had to constantly clean up their 2MB mailboxes. Google might be able to do the same again if dropbox don't offer more space for free. But that would take away from their earnings, so it isn't an easy problem to solve.
Re: Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
#216When I was in YC (same batch as Dropbox) this was a constant question. "What happens to Dropbox if Gdrive launches?" I don't actually remember what Drew and Arash thought, but a lot of people speculated on it. It was probably a real threat to them 4.5 years ago. I can't imagine it is now. Dropbox has a large, happy fanbase that's going to keep using it and keep spreading. They're going to keep growing. They've got a…
After Gdrive is out, DropBox will find it difficult to grow.
The thing about lockin might be true for existing DropBox users. But what If I am a new user and I am comparing Google and DropBox. Who do you think I will choose?
Also once google adds support to gdrive into all their existing offerings it will be difficult to compete with that.
Re: Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
#217Re: Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
#218It's sad, because I remember when the name meant something else, but... I just wouldn't trust Google with my files. By which I mean, I wouldn't trust that I wouldn't wake up one day and find myself locked out of Google Drive with no way back. I don't trust their user interface not to accidentally delete things, either. Google manages to give the appearance of this mysterious Tronlike glowing entity that occasionally…
On the plus side: what are the odds that you both get locked out AND you desperately need your backups on the same day? They're both unlikely events. (You might want sync, but hopefully you won't need the backup due to a hard drive crash or some such.)
Of course, if enough people use the service, then statistically, it will happen several times.
Re: Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
#219The reason I'll use dropbox over google drive? I'll store my files with a company that makes it's money from fees vs one that makes it's money from ads.
Re: Google Drive: Is the Dropbox Party Over?
#220Earlier quoted context omitted.
In it's day, IE was not an inferior browser. Quiet the opposite, actually.
IE3 was horrendous. The tide only turned with the release of IE4.
IE4, I believe, was the first version included in the OS or came in automatically with updates. I think IE3 came in one of those internet startup kits.