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Save more with Google Drive

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Re: Save more with Google Drive

#101

Post by cylinder »

dperfect wrote: post #67

I won't go near Google Drive until they fix some serious longstanding issues with the desktop client. The two that caused me to abandon Google Drive (I even have a free TB for 3 years from my Chromebook Pixel): 1. No way to re-sync existing folders on your computer (seriously). I was pushing hundreds of GBs of photos to my Google Drive, and after syncing everything, upgraded to a new computer (the files were stored o…

Google Drive desktop client does have issues (Mac). However, the worst pile of junk is the Box.com client; even with their paid business plans the uploads are unimaginably slow. I searched and found long support threads on forums complaining about this problem. Quickly abandoned Box and remain perplexed at all the hype behind that company.

Dropbox is the best overall; has the best web interface and desktop client. Google Drive is second, but because more of my clients are familiar with, and already have, Google accounts, and I pay for Google Apps already, I use Google Drive.

Re: Save more with Google Drive

#102

Post by fidotron »

dperfect wrote: post #67

I won't go near Google Drive until they fix some serious longstanding issues with the desktop client. The two that caused me to abandon Google Drive (I even have a free TB for 3 years from my Chromebook Pixel): 1. No way to re-sync existing folders on your computer (seriously). I was pushing hundreds of GBs of photos to my Google Drive, and after syncing everything, upgraded to a new computer (the files were stored o…

Same position here. Ignoring the whole Google/privacy stuff, Drive seems fundamentally broken.

In my case it's things like if you need to replace a file it's luck as to if it syncs or not. First you copy it in place, but it renames the copy you just put there (no option to just replace it) so you learn to delete the thing first, but no, you'll replace it and the sync engine didn't seem smart enough to realise the file had actually changed, and you would end up with either the old file left on the server or worse it would pick up the delete operation and forget the replacement.

This was a few months ago, but that's still long after the service had been out in the wild. The concept of these cloud storage things, especially once proper APIs are available and we can switch storage providers independently of app providers, is a good one, but GDrive doesn't seem to get the fundamentals right.

Re: Save more with Google Drive

#103

Post by blisterpeanuts »

fletchowns wrote: post #48
icebraining wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Who cares? If they close it, you signup for a competitor and re-upload the data. Even if they do close it, you'll have months to copy everything. And besides, if you're relying on a single system for all your backups, you're doing it wrong.

That's a terrible retort. Downloading and then uploading a terabyte of data can be very expensive depending on where you live, and it can also take a very long time.

>>>Download and then uploading a terabyte of data can be very expensive depending on where you live, and it can also take a very long time.

Not if you have Google Fiber!

Of course, you have to hope they don't exit that business, as well.

Re: Save more with Google Drive

#104

Post by tobyjsullivan »

dperfect wrote: post #67

I won't go near Google Drive until they fix some serious longstanding issues with the desktop client. The two that caused me to abandon Google Drive (I even have a free TB for 3 years from my Chromebook Pixel): 1. No way to re-sync existing folders on your computer (seriously). I was pushing hundreds of GBs of photos to my Google Drive, and after syncing everything, upgraded to a new computer (the files were stored o…

I, too, would appreciate a lot more focus on the desktop client.

For me, it would be a matter of selective folder synching. Right now, you have to sync the entire drive. My Air only has 128GB SSD. I just want to sync a couple work folders, not my entire 70GB of stored files.

Unfortunately, Google's direction is pretty clear and I expect they'll discontinue support for the Desktop client before they ever enhance it.

Re: Save more with Google Drive

#105

Post by msh »

bifrost wrote: post #12

I wouldn't be surprised if this was some attempt to get more of your data for ad analysis. I'd rather stick with Dropbox or AeroFS, at least security/privacy is a priority there.

It was dropbox who let their password protection be disabled so anyone could log in to anyones account(1).

I dont see google drive as being less secure, you can still use truecrypt or boxcryptor or encfs.

1: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/110650-dropbox-error-login-w...

Re: Save more with Google Drive

#106

Post by dperfect »

zacwest wrote: post #97
dperfect wrote: post #67

I won't go near Google Drive until they fix some serious longstanding issues with the desktop client. The two that caused me to abandon Google Drive (I even have a free TB for 3 years from my Chromebook Pixel): 1. No way to re-sync existing folders on your computer (seriously). I was pushing hundreds of GBs of photos to my Google Drive, and after syncing everything, upgraded to a new computer (the files were stored o…

The big client issue for me is the bandwidth usage. Google Drive has no intelligent throttling, so it consumes your entire upload pipe, which makes other apps unusable. This is not really what I want a background service to do.

I agree. Due to the lack of throttling, I had to write a script that paused Google Drive any time I was using the computer - just to have network and CPU resources to do simple things like browse the web (and this was on a fairly recent, fast machine). I tried to make it work... I really did.

Re: Save more with Google Drive

#108

Post by SeanDav »

untog wrote: post #27
simonsarris wrote: post #9

I think at this point I'm a little more comfortable paying more for a company that I know won't abandon this market. I know Dropbox will be Dropbox in 5 years. How can we be sure Google Drive won't be shuttered in less time? Google is very haphazard with their web properties. Sometimes they shutter them, sometimes they stuff them in the closet. Google Reader, Wave, etc, you know. the stories. What scares me more are…

I know Dropbox will be Dropbox in 5 years. As a counterpoint to that, Dropbox might not exist in 5 years. Google most likely will. Basically, there is no answer here that guarantees the future of your cloud storage. It's useful to access your files from multiple locations, but using it for long term file archival seems like asking for disappointment (as well as being a neat way of throwing money into the sky).

If there is a choice - it is better to place your bet with the company whose main business line depends on the service you are using. Google has a long history of dropping services, because it can. It does not matter to Google that 10k people or 100k people find that particular service useful. Google is not about to drop search and search related ads any time soon - storage services it could drop tomorrow and not care less.

Re: Save more with Google Drive

#110

Post by watty »

SeanDav wrote: post #108
untog wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know Dropbox will be Dropbox in 5 years. As a counterpoint to that, Dropbox might not exist in 5 years. Google most likely will. Basically, there is no answer here that guarantees the future of your cloud storage. It's useful to access your files from multiple locations, but using it for long term file archival seems like asking for disappointment (as well as being a neat way of throwing money into the sky).

If there is a choice - it is better to place your bet with the company whose main business line depends on the service you are using. Google has a long history of dropping services, because it can. It does not matter to Google that 10k people or 100k people find that particular service useful. Google is not about to drop search and search related ads any time soon - storage services it could drop tomorrow and not car…

I'm not a betting man but if I had to put $1 on which service (Dropbox or Google Drive) would disappear first I'd bet Dropbox.
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