{"id":714,"date":"2012-04-28T10:13:21","date_gmt":"2012-04-28T17:13:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jorper98.wordpress.com\/?p=714"},"modified":"2022-09-26T11:29:36","modified_gmt":"2022-09-26T18:29:36","slug":"google-drive-have-cloud-drives-lost-their-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jorgep.com\/blog\/google-drive-have-cloud-drives-lost-their-way\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Drive: Have Cloud Drives Lost Their Way?"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

With this week’s introduction of Google Drive,   the conversation about \u201ccloud drives\u201d  has significantly increased amongst the tech community\u2026  But have we lost a bit of focus on what a cloud drive is ? <\/p>\n

To me,   and granted, I might not be in the majority here, there is a simple definition: <\/p>\n

\n

To be able to securely store and retrieve files (of any type) on the Internet (cloud<\/strong>) , and be able to access them from a device using the device\u2019s standard file system (drive<\/strong>).<\/em>  <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Any other characteristics and features are additional functions (bells and whistles) that should be able to enable\/disable at will. <\/p>\n

Please do not get me wrong.   I *love*  Dropbox<\/a>,  SkyDrive<\/a>, Egnyte<\/a> and use them all daily.   I was anxiously waiting for Google Drive<\/a> I am sure I will be using as well, but,  it seems like none of these services hit on the basic definition of what a cloud drive is intended to be.    To me they are more file synchronization  tools and not really cloud drives\u2026 <\/p>\n

It is so puzzling!  I am no developer, but it seems like it would not be a significant  programing challenge to enable this.  I know, this last comment, would probably lead you to thing \u201cwhat a complainer\u201d, but let me just say: Perhaps, but opinions and feedback drive product improvements right? \"Winking<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let me explain a bit more detail: <\/p>\n

Background:<\/strong><\/font> Like most of us (well maybe not \u201cmost\u201d)  I use a desktop, a laptop, a thin client device, a table device and have several virtual machines that I use for one purpose or another (work\/ test \/learn \/ play) daily.<\/p>\n

Goal \/ Desire 1:<\/strong><\/font>   I want to make my file library available to all of *my* <\/strong>devices. <\/p>\n

Options:<\/font><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/td>\nPros<\/font><\/td>\nCons<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Web-based access
<\/strong>products like:
egnyte
zoho
SharePoint
<\/font>SkyDox
fileshare
(so many others!)<\/font><\/td>\n		No additional space required on device
Ability to share files private\/public + user\/group <\/font><\/font><\/font><\/td>\n		connectivity required
web-interface
login needed
Not readily available
<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
File Synchronization<\/strong>
products like:
DropBox,
Box.net
SkyDrive
livedrive
Google Drive<\/font><\/td>\n		Available web interface
Maps to a system level drive
Library available offline
Ability to share files private\/public + user\/group <\/font><\/font>
<\/font><\/td>\n		Needs the disk space for sync entire library
Files replicated across devices<\/font>
<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Drive map to cloud storage
<\/strong>products like: <\/font>
TNTDrive
webDrive
GroupDrive <\/p>\n

<\/font><\/td>\n

maps a network based drive to a local drive <\/p>\n

No additional space required on device
<\/font><\/td>\n

Always on connectivity required
permission management<\/font> <\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now let\u2019s go one step forward: <\/p>\n

Goal \/ Desire 2<\/strong>: <\/font>I want to make parts <\/strong>of my file library available to other people\/groups <\/strong>some public others privately.<\/p>\n

Options:<\/font><\/p>\n

Understandably, Of the above ones, today, web-based and file-sync are the best options. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There are two features which I think are driving the development of the current set of popular products, and thus the state of where we are.  they are: <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. off-line availability <\/li>\n
  2. User and group permissions. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What about the ability to securely map a drive to \u201cthe network\u201d  and use it \/ go with it?  (a true cloud drive in my opinion)  — There has been multiple attempts to doing this over the years. and even a standard (webDAV) was created for it, but unfortunately nothing \u201creally popular\u201d \u2013 in Unix (and Mac) you can use native commands to map a drive.   Several applications are available which have different features and approaches including: <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Product<\/td>\nBrief Description<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Gladinet Cloud Desktop<\/a><\/td>\nThis product mounts any number of cloud storage, (e.g. SkyDrive, Google Picasa, Google Docs, Amazon S3) as local folders  It is about $50bucks, but well worth it\u2026Unfortunately, only available for Windows.  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    TntDrive<\/a> <\/td>\nIt allows me to mount Amazon S3 Bucket as a Windows Drive. This is a favorite of mine as it covers 95% of the Goal #1 above. Only available as a Windows client. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    WebDrive<\/a> & GroupDrive<\/a><\/td>\nboth products by SRT, it  allows you create a virtual drive that points to an ftp site (webDrive) or a GroupDrive Server. They now offer hosted version at groupDrive.net
    <\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    [Side bar:  Licensing on the above products can get expensive, as they are all based on a per device bases.  Some offer free versions, but not all \u2013 or limited in capabilities) <\/p>\n

    Summary \/ Conclusion:<\/strong> <\/p>\n

    Will continue to use my TNTDrive \/ AmazonS3 as primary personal cloud drive and DropBox for sharing.  The others will continue to serve as secondary online tools. <\/p>\n

    I must confess, I was really hoping Google Drive would be different (adding links to my Google Docs is just not that compelling) .  I am still hoping community feedback would drive  <\/p>\n

    If just one of them would set a folder property that would set that folder to \u201ccloud-only\u201d that would be nice!   (I know easier said than done)<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Further Reading on this topic:<\/p>\n