I am going to give Google Drive a try and I realize they don't have an iOS app yet but everywhere I'm reading that there is an app for both Windows and Mac OS X but I can't find it anywhere. Where can I download the Google Drive Mac App?
And I'll link to this article that shows how Apple's, Google's, Microsoft's and Dropbox's privacy policies aren't all that different. They all give you ownership protection and they all require that you give them the right to do stuff with your content (using almost the exact same language).I'm just gonna quote John Gruber here:
"Sure, I trust Google to index the contents of all my files. Why not?"
Like I noted though, it's no different than the policies for the others. From the article I linked to:Google's TOS for their Drive is pretty scary. It's something you should definately read before you use it. Pretty much anything you upload to it becomes their property and they can do what they choose with it.
When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our Services, and to develop new ones.
We may need your permission to do things you ask us to do with your stuff, for example, hosting your files, or sharing them at your direction. This includes product features visible to you, for example, image thumbnails or document previews. It also includes design choices we make to technically administer our Services, for example, how we redundantly backup data to keep it safe. You give us the permissions we need to do those things solely to provide the Services.
You understand that Microsoft may need, and you hereby grant Microsoft the right, to use, modify, adapt, reproduce, distribute, and display content posted on the service solely to the extent necessary to provide the service.
However, by submitting or posting such Content on areas of the Service that are accessible by the public or other users with whom you consent to share such Content, you grant Apple a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, publicly perform and publicly display such Content on the Service solely for the purpose for which such Content was submitted or made available, without any compensation or obligation to you.
Some of our Services allow you to submit content. You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours.
However, by submitting or posting such Content on areas of the Service that are accessible by the public or other users with whom you consent to share such Content, you grant Apple [etc]
Dropbox (I love how this isn't "legalese"):We will ask for your consent before using information for a purpose other than those that are set out in this Privacy Policy.
In essence, they all retain the right to do whatever they want with your content as long as it's kept internal.We may need your permission to do things you ask us to do with your stuff, for example, hosting your files, or sharing them at your direction.
Pre-screen? Really?However, Apple reserves the right at all times to determine whether Content is appropriate and in compliance with this Agreement, and may pre-screen, move, refuse, modify and/or remove Content at any time, without prior notice and in its sole discretion, if such Content is found to be in violation of this Agreement or is otherwise objectionable.
Dropbox:We may remove your content from the service at any time if you breach this contract or if we cancel or suspend the service.
We may stop, suspend, or modify the Services at any time without prior notice to you. We may also remove any content from our Services at our discretion.
An assurance...hmmm....We may review content to determine whether it is illegal or violates our policies, and we may remove or refuse to display content that we reasonably believe violates our policies or the law. But that does not necessarily mean that we review content, so please don’t assume that we do.
And the Microsoft Privacy Statement:We may collect information such as occupation, language, zip code, area code, unique device identifier, location, and the time zone where an Apple product is used so that we can better understand customer behavior and improve our products, services, and advertising [...] At times Apple may make certain personal information available to strategic partners that work with Apple to provide products and services, or that help Apple market to customers [...] Personal information will only be shared by Apple to provide or improve our products, services and advertising; it will not be shared with third parties for their marketing purposes.
No one's made this argument yet but I know it's coming (it always does).Microsoft collects and uses your personal information to operate and improve its sites and services. These uses include providing you with more effective customer service; making the sites or services easier to use by eliminating the need for you to repeatedly enter the same information; performing research and analysis aimed at improving our products, services and technologies; and displaying content and advertising that are customized to your interests and preferences.