1984?

I just read this and a shiver went down my spine. Google wants to have it ALL.

Whiles some people will find this appealing (for bookmarks, contact info, etc) there is NO WAY I am putting my private data (tax info, finances, etc) on a Google Drive. Will we fall for this? Will we have a choice?

What is the ultimate goal of Google? Are they trying to get us to all use a thin client PC, with all the data we collect and save stored online? There is an old saying, "Information is power." If that is true, then Google is very powerful. Dangerously powerful.

Google is considered the golden child to many in the world today, simply because they can stick a thumb in the eye of Microsoft. While I am happy that someone is giving Redmond a challenge, Google is really beginning to scare me. They are just getting too big and collecting too much data. I am beginning to wonder if maybe I should slow down my Google use:

1) Google search -- I have nothing to hide here. I look for images and Linux stuff, addresses, maps (which is still pretty poor overall). Better that what I used to use, Hotbot.

2) Gmail - I usually give this out as spam catcher. I have a Hotmail account, but I am trying to wean myself off of Hotmail. I have had it a long time, way before MS acquired them. They are getting better, that I have to say.

3) Google Talk -- When I log onto Gmail, I am logged on to Google talk. I do not chat much and I never put personal/private info in a chat window.

4) Blogger -- While I do post personal info here, none of it is damaging. I do this because there have been times that I know someone from my workplace has checked this blog. I saw the entries in my hit counter. I like blogging and could take the time to put it on my private web site, but the storage here is free and I refuse to put info on here that is damaging.

I do not use any of Google's other services (and there are a lot of them). I once used the toolbar, but now that I use Firefox and Linux, that is no longer needed. I have never liked Picasa, so that is not a problem. I do have Google Earth installed, but I have not used that in a while. It is more of a toy than anything (at least to me) so that is not really a threat.

If Google does decide to get into the Linux game, then I think a lot of Linux geeks are going to jump on it and later be sorry. I hope I do not go that route. I like my data as local as possible. Keeping it online is a scary thought. I know that I tend to keep all my work data on the network, but that is different. That data is theirs. I am just manipulating it. Outside of work, the data I manipulate is most likely mine and I do not want it away from me.

I am scared. Google is beginning to frighten me and I do not like the future I see before me.

If and when the GDrive service comes out, I am sure I will put up my bookmarks and maybe some other innoculous things, but I know my private info will remain in my hard drive and backed up monthly.

JMHO / YMMV.