You could use it to store the original photos, PDF files, store documents/spreadsheets/presentations without importing them into Google Docs, backup all your files, but the most popular file types are already covered. Google wanted to encourage people to use Gmail, Google Docs, YouTube, Google Music, Google+ and free storage was an important selling point.
The trouble with Google Drive is that Google has a lot of other services that are better suited for storing your files and Drive doesn't even integrate with those services. When your photos are in Google+ Photos, your videos are uploaded to YouTube and your music is in Google Music, Google Drive feels like an afterthought, not the "go-to place" for uploading your files.
This has bothered me since the launch of Drive. I want the flexibility of Drive with the features of Music and Picasa. Sadly, I do not get it and as a result I am looking for other solutions which are cheaper. Bitcasa for instance.
ReplyDeleteI think it's fine. I think the problem is Play. Mixing music and games, that's bogus. I think eliminating Google Music was the big mistake. I use Google Drive simply for storing documents and archives. I don't want any more out of Drive.
ReplyDeletePresumable Google is planning to integrate all the storage into Drive. So your youtube videos, G+ photos and music all share the same drive, but most of it is unlimited
ReplyDeleteGoogle Drive should more be used as a storage/my documents place. With your picture folder being Google Photos, your video folder being YouTube and your music folder Google Music.
ReplyDeleteYouTube as a folder. err!
DeleteGive it time, already photo's and video's in Google Drive are presented like in Picasa web or G+. I think in time we'll see the Photo's folder and Music folder in Google Drive so that we can use the drive interface to manage those files too.
ReplyDeleteI'm still on Google's old pricing for 200GB and it is really easy to have a full backup of all my full resolution photo's and documents always with me.
Yeah i think that they will integrate all the services at some point. I am sure they already said something about doing it a few month ago.
ReplyDeleteI only use Drive to create docs and spreadsheets that I like to access everywhere.
ReplyDeleteI don't use it as a Dropbox-like system.
However a BIG plus would be if I could edit the files while offline, especially on my tablet. In other words Drive should be reverted to Docs...
I don't see the problem. You don't have to use all of those webapps. You certainly have the option to use it like any cloud storage service (dropbox, skydrive, box, etc). Just install the desktop client, and throw your files in there.
ReplyDeleteIn an Apps for Business domain it is a secure, controlled access repository for whatever we choose to transmit.
ReplyDeleteGiven that we are distributing individual files that exceed GMail attachment limits Drive is absolutely the easiest way for us to do this.
When our third NAS drive in 10 years went down for the count my wife and I tried Google Drive as a replacement since we don't share that many files. It's been great. I can tell though that she is confused by the name Google Drive. It's three things: A folder in the cloud, and local folder and the program that syncs the two. That could be improved. How about Google Drive Sync for the program and Google Drive Local for the local folder?
ReplyDeleteThe Main issue with Google drive is the syncing. It's not very controlable. It cannot even tell you which file it is syncing right now. When your collection of files gets past the 50GB and 100K files mark if you ever have a Sync problem you are in for a lot of hear ache. If you share your Google Drive between computers and want to share different parts to different computers. Again more issues. As a google-phile I desperately want Google to better and more fully support this product. In view of the Pixel announcement it saddens me that currently Google is touting a 1TB yearly storage plan, which is effectively is unusable. And of course Google, if you want to contact me for a more detailed explanation. then I look forward to your call.
ReplyDeleteregards marcus B.
Drive is my go-to place for files.
ReplyDeleteI have grown up with Google Docs and now thoroughly enjoy Drive. I've got clean, easy across access devices; don't worry about losing stuff and feel comfy, thanks to offline. Sharing stuff with family is so nice. Works well with their iPads, iPhones, iPod Touches.
Here's your use case:
ReplyDeleteGoogle Drive is your stuff; G+ Photos is shared.
If you put photos on G+ that google doesn't like, they have the right to remove it per the terms of service.
In other words, don't use it for long term storage / archival.
One thing to consider is the fact that should you want to download a music folder (album) to your local computer, Google Music only allows you to do it twice, unless you bought your music from the Google Play store.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it's kind of a redundant array of services. It would be nice if Google Drive played music files since they already play videos. They should bake a music player into Drive. So much for simplicity on Google's part.
I totally agree, the biggest problem I have is the split between storing photos in Picasa which is now Google+ photos and the Google drive space. I just don't understand why I can't just see all of my photos in one place, it's like Google engineers are drinking crazy juice.
ReplyDeleteI know I'm not a typical user, but I use Drive to share 2-4 GB data files with my colleagues. It's more convenient than walking across campus to physically deliver a thumb drive, which is how we used to do it. Dropbox has a limit of 300 MB through the web interface, so with Drive I can share multi-gigabyte files without requiring the other party to install software.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I don't really use Google Drive for storage anymore. Just for collaborative documents. Dropbox does a much better job syncing files from computer to computer. Then, like you said, Google's other services do a much better job at what they do.
ReplyDeleteYou said totally right. I was also thinking of this. Even when we have YouTube this doesn't make sense to upload videos to Drive. Google is stuck now. Either it have to .. yes it better discontinue Drive and make another for softwares/applications then we'll have all. Picasa for photos, YouTube for videos, Docs for documents and that new one for softwares. OR just (hard to say) discontinue youtube.
ReplyDeleteWithout a mountable client (transparent access for applications), Google Drive isn't much of a drive at all. Dropbox really does this right on the desktop, but falls down on mobile. Is setting up sshfs really that hard?
ReplyDeleteDrive is pretty sweet. Integrating with Youtube, G+, and Google Music would be AMAZING. I'm sure this is being worked on, but there is a lot of work needed to make it function. Keep an eye out for unification like this at Google I/O in May.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. I think about this when I begin to run out of space in one Google app (like Picasa) yet I have plenty of unused space allocated to my Drive account. Why can't the space allotments across Google's services be shared by my Google Account in one lump sum (as an option)?
ReplyDeleteI Agree, the most tricky part here would be if you have more than 1 gmail account then your storage can be extended but you need to use a Customized application to deal with multiple Google Drive accounts.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cloudfuze.com/access-google-drive-multiple-accounts/
Well, for me Google Drive can't help me emptying my trash folder (10 GB+) ! at least since sept 2012 !!!
ReplyDeleteGoogle Apps Script can't even do simple things like copying a row into another spreadsheet with all the correct format included (try some columns with percentage and get bad results) !!
They even doesn't have macro recording ala Miscrosoft vba. At first I thought that it was beta, but now this should works ! ;(
@Brent Clark: what I meant is to be able to edit docs (in google docs format) offline
ReplyDeletecurrently this is not possible on mobile http://support.google.com/drive/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1628467
that's way I told I'd like Drive to be an improved Docs, and not a Dropbox