Google plans to eradicate PCs

In the article it says:

'But does it matter to you that someone can see everything on your computer? Does it matter that Google can be subpoenaed at any time to hand over all your data to the American government?"
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We kid ourselves if we think we have privacy. There is no such thing.....and everything on our computers can be seen by Big Brother. It's like the identity card scenario.....if you got nothing to hide why worry.

That said.....I got nothing to hide, but I have a book almost written and it has NEW INFORMATION not already in the public domain.....it is important that this is not stolen, so I'm happy to keep this on a memory key or two.

Already I store some things on an extra Gmail account. I can't see the big deal. I got little to hide if anything.

I like my hard drive.

How about this scenario. Remember how back about 1910 when the Big money controllers sent an agent out to find and buy 25 major newspapers so that they could control the mass media and now we have seen for the past 100 years how our mass media is no less that an entertainment digest. So now what happens when or maybe it has already happened that the big money already owns Google and soon we will be watching and hearing just what they want to. Censored. No thanks I prefer to be as free as I can and that does not mean sharing with someone who has a library full of laws that protectsm then while we have a butchered Constitution to protect us.

Google already has access to all my e-mails. That should be enough. I won't store any other data with them, have to draw a line somewhere.

And when is this supposed to happen? I would hate to buy an old-fashioned HD computer the day before Google's drive came out.

Then again, maybe Apple, Microsoft, Yahoo, etc., will take this as the next level of competition among themselves.

It wont happen.

cant see this taking off at all, more chance of me giving away all my private details to the world!

Not only do they want it this way to slow down your access of your files, and for snooping reasons, but they also want to charge you monthly to use it.

And you get charged monthly for applications, and charged monthly for games, and charged monthly for access...

They're just looking for a way to rip you off other than you just buying a computer and software and being done with the transaction.

I like Google. But this is Google gone over the edge.

I like the idea and already archive a fair amount on email accounts, though I'm not sure I entirely trust storing all my stuff on the internet. Keeping my hard drives safe is my own lookout, but I'll have no control over how Google safeguards them, should anything go wrong.

I knew it will come this idea from google. No surprise. This will be the future.

what's going to happen when we are no internet zones?

WOW, Google re-invented the mainframe and terminal. Sorry, that schtick is more than 40 years old. I prefer privacy, too.

I don't understand the technicalities involved here but I know one thing. I don't want Google to have access to all of my information. China asked yahoo to block certain information they don't want their people to know from being available on the Internet. Yahoo agreed and is now doing it. Big brother in action. Google is keeping our on line activity for 18 months. During that time they are sharing your activity with businesses and that info could be shared just as easily with the government. They say they just share general accesses to sites and not the individuals. How do we know if this is true? If I'm paranoid so be it. I don't trust Google or Yahoo and I don't want them to continue trying to manipulate the Internet and thereby you and me.

If your on the internet they can get your stuff if you want them to or not.

Your only safe on a computer that isn't connected to the internet without wireless capability.

Ha. When google gives me a couple hundred terabytes maybe I'll think about.

At first blush it sounds like a good idea,however it is as chilling as big brother when oneconsiders the ramifications.

You could easily accomplish the same thing with a USB flash drive that you keep in your pocket. Install the operating system, and as long as you're on a system that supports USB booting you have your computer with your information with you wherever you go.

No thanks I would rather crash my own crap. Google thinks they invented web tv?!?

No way!! I like google but I wouldnt trust my personal information to any one in Government, nor to any corporation and google is no difference than any corporation. I agree I am waiting for solid state media. No moving parts, just clock signals moving data. Nano technology should be able to give us some nano drives. thats really something to look forward to. Drives with a trigabyte or two.

hardwareless computers with no operating systems.... come on thats sounds like the greatest evolution in personal computing we've seen in decades. Think of how much the price point on computers will fall. Google's Cloud storage will bring the possibility for computers in the hands of must students around the world. So as long as they introduce internet 2.0, with global access even in the depts of Africa. (Supposively the signals would come from satellites)

I would use it for music, photos, video files and games.
It would be perfect to store all my pirated torrent and irc downloads.

It will never "take the place" of my desktop though.
I would NEVER allow Google full access to my personal data.

But if they are gonna sell storage space cheap and have the bandwidth to support it I AM gonna abuse the hell out of it.

This is where Journalists get to demonstrate their skills in presenting old trash as a ground breaking new story. This Google drive thing is not new, it's been around for at least three years :) How can it eradicate PCs? How can you have a cloud OS without hardware?

This is a very interesting idea. I will have to research it to really understand if it is possible/plausible.

I hear that privacy issues will certainly arise, but I agree with some of you that what you may think is private now isn't. And that if someone wants your stuff badly enough they will get it anyway.

However, the larger point is that if this helps underprivileged people gain access to technology that they otherwise can't afford then it may be a good idea.

Computers and technology shouldn't just be in the hands people with money.

OK - To start, on a personal level, I'm not saying I think this is the best idea, or would want to do this. BUT I did want to look at it from a perspective other than "stay out of my stuff paranoia"

The original idea behind Google's internet matrix (i.e. having everything accessable online as software vs hardware) stems from the whole SaaS business model which stands for Software as a Service. The main idea behind this is to bring lower cost services that can be upgraded and used at low to no cost. VS something like (as much as I adore it) PhotoShop which gets updated quite often and is ridculously expensive.

Think VoIP (uhm, Skype). That is basically what this is. Taking the hardware out of the picture. If you like skype, then you are pretty much doing the same thing with the Gdrive except, I mean yea, it is personal information.

AND on the other end... how many of you out there, who think this is a horrible idea, use paypal? Or have used paypal. PayPal, when you get down to the nuts and bolts, is really just an online bank.... its honestly like having your "bank info" on a Gdrive.

Will I be the first to subscribe to GDrive? No. Im not that brave. But I do understand the matrix idea and can see the benefits (as well as the downside). If they were able to really fix the kinks out then I wouldnt be opposed to using the Gdrive for SOME of my hard drive stuff. Maybe not everything, but if you've ever had a computer crash, the idea of a virtual backup isn't THAT bad of an idea.

psh... dream on Google

I like have a hard drive. This is just another way Google is trying to take over Canada, then the U.S, and next the world. We can't allow them to takeover the U.S cause then were all screwed. "Google is VERY EVIL!" Fight now or your just going to get googled.

are you fucking kidding me?

this is the stupidest shit i have ever heard in my life.

fuck google. they can kiss my dick. they'll never get anything of mine.

1st to go is any measure of privacy, 2nd will free access, 3rd will control of content, and then they'll come for your gun....

Don't want the google to know all my info and porn I watch :(

I can't believe it took this long for them to come up with this. As for people worrying about their privacy... worrying won't do anything so why worry? You don't have any PRIVACY... are you serious?

Having your info on a hard drive is just an illusion of privacy. If the MAN wants to know about you, he's going to know about you and there is nothing you can do about that with the exception of unplugging from the system all together.

~ Mind Control

well we store shed-loads of info on sites like facebook and myspace, what else is there? online banking...well, that covers financial info...its not a great idea, but its a step closer to the mangerial state

wow. this is awesome!

OMG, does no one here other than me not understand the value here?

Cloud computing, done with reasonably secure (Comprehend information theory and encryption before commenting ) encryption enables the prospect of your information to be available much like a bank does with your money. Your medical records are accessible instantly by your new doctor, new dentist, etc.

Cloud computing isn't about YOUR usage of YOUR information, its about CONTROLLING access and DISTRIBUTING YOUR information seamlessly and without loss to those you deem to have your information.

That is bad for the economy, imagine the jobs to be potentially lost, millions.

that is impossible and could never happen. there are some many studio, musicians, video editors, artists who rely on raid and powerful harddrive setup for their work. when working with and processing real-time audio/video effects you need the harddrive space and power. an internet cable cannot fulfil that

Many people would go for this, many more would not.

One big upside, it would certainly make file sharing/swapping much easier! How can the MIAA sue me for allowing you to listen to a song on my data space? You are not downloading or copying it after all.

This will surely happen. It will take some time but will happen. Specially when internet speeds get a lot faster.

Windows Live, Google Docs, What do you think these are? Facebook?

If any of you have a web based CRM or application with which you work daily, was this application based on a program before? Most of these are being merged to WebBased as they are easier and run everywhere.

Soon or later, it will happen, slowly. The main issue is of course, privacy, but at this point, BELIEVE ME at least on this one, You already have -non-.

The amount of bandwidth this would require would be stupid and insane. Plus why would you delegate your files over to a private company when you can have them in the comfort of your own home without an internet connection?

Performance is a lot bigger issue than security, since not even the fastest connection in the world is faster than having an application using RAM.

It sharing files and storage on the Net has some advantages if they are the kind that more than one person involved in a project has to have access to in order to make progress on when multiple decisions on that project are needed.

But not with things like OS, multimedia and applications that need faster and more intensive calcutions since local storage is a lot more effiicient for the speed of performance.

Unless I can install and run pc games with this I'll stick with a hard drive.

Yeah... don't like it. No sir not at all.

Bad. Whomever considers this... plain dumb.

You'd need a special reason to need your OS online. You already want your OS on the fastest HD you have, putting it online would just slow down the data access even more by making your connection speed a factor.

Even if you need to access your OS on other comps, just put it on a thumb drive or external.

This would allow for google's continued monopolization of the internet and would give them more control over our lives. For reasons of privacy and common sense I don't think this would be a good idea.

hardwareless computers with no operating systems.... come on thats sounds like the greatest evolution in personal computing we've seen in decades. Think of how much the price point on computers will fall. Google's Cloud storage will bring the possibility for computers in the hands of must students around the world. So as long as they introduce internet 2.0, with global access even in the depts of Africa. (Supposively the signals would come from satellites)

I want your Brains...!!

that is hands down the funniest and stupidest thing I have read all day.

Google is not unlike God in a way.

What is God if not infinite knowledge?

OK, well, perhaps we still have infinity to go, but they are probably way ahead of any other organization on Earth at this point.

Ah yes, my plan is coming together perfectly...

you will never find me ready to surrender all of my personal data online...but if you work in an industry that needs you to transfer alot of data all the time this might not be a bad thing to have....not only that computer cafe's will come back stronger because people will use thier computers instead of bringing thier own......why cant i spell their{}{}{}}

Fuck that noise! Clones forever!

ya right... i would not use that.... i would rather not have access to the internet then be an other one of googles mass of slaves...

oops i said something they did not like and blaamo my stuff is gone... or worse they can see what i have been upto news, opinions, more news, more opinions... and what the hell is a guy to do with all that porn i have stocked up... trust googles nerds with it... hellll no..

WELCOME TO THE GOOGLETRIX, where everything is a little slower and dumbed down so you do not understand how bad you are getting screwed...

Seems impractical and a little pointless.

I mean, we can already put GIGABYTES of information on very, very, very small cards...so why would I want to rely on an internet connection to store my files?

Look at the iPhone (or similar devices). If the internet goes out or I'm in an area with no signal then I still have everything on my portable device.

Since memory cards are so small in size, so massive in storage capacity and consume so little energy....then Google is purposing a "solution" to a problem that does't actually exist.

I just don't see any real world advantage to storing all your files online as opposed to on a multi-gigabyte memory card.

It won't happen, most people will never trust their personal files with any website on the web, and should they do so anyway and they, for whatever reason, no longer be able to access the internet, they would no longer have access to their files.

seems like the logical next step in tech evolution to me.... big brother has been just around the corner anyway.

I think most of us have fooled ourselves into thinking that such a thing dosent already exist. As we speak, if a semi-intelligent person wants to access everything on our hard drives, it would'nt be too challenging.

I am sure they are going to create an illusion of privacy, just like now.

sounds too big brother for me.

Ya, but if you want to play any serious games or use any heavy software like 3D modeling or media editing programs, you will still need a hard drive. I don't mind keeping my email online, but until we have unlimited bandwidth there is no way to get full computer productivity without a local drive.

What they're talking about is basically an internet box, not a true computer. There's no way this will ever replace the local operating system and storage.

Seriously, what happens if communications are lost for some reason or another? Your fancy new Google Box is now a useless tool until the internet is restored.

The future for PC's is in Solid State Drives! Can't wait till they're more affordable...

a fad???? Cloud Computing is already occurring and IMO, will grow in usage and commonality.

It's extending what is already popular by other IPS.

AOL moved mail and favorites, along with the address book, online in the late 90s. No one has missed crashing their computer and losing that data.

I'd be happy to let Google hold most of my stuff. Why? Nothing I have is secret.

This bandwidth-pig ain't got wings! She'll NEVER fly!!

Don't count on this being much more than a fad. Humans are a tempermental sort. They like to have their things close. The mere thought that an entity could deny them access to their things is enough to keep it from ever happening.

The hard drive is better...i really don't care if the internet will hold my things. there is too many hackers out there and gov't officials spying...either way...it will not make a difference so...

All my stuff on the internet? hmm can't say I'm too thrilled about that notion, enough private info is on there already...