Am really irritated about all the ways tech companies are moving to the cloud. Each Tech Giant is using different ways to move our data to their cloud. Microsoft is thw worst. They added a new item to file explorer. QUICK ACCESS. Any time you use your computer Microsoft shows your latest files and programs in QUICK ACCESS. This allowed them to move storage defaults and using QA you think the files are were you thought you saved them. If you use One Drive your files are now on there servers and NOT on your computer. As long as you use their system you never know. Realized this after my Audible file were no longer on my computer. As a user of IOS and PCs. Life has been challenging since July. Now people complain about Google. Have found Google at least gives a notice about what it is coming. Also Apple may be more secure however they also have deceptions. On IOS Apple makes numerous changes to their current operating system. Do not like that they make settings extremely complex. AND while making those updates change setting defaults. ie: battery life. At least with Google informs users of their changes. I think of Google as a BETA company. As far as the tech companies My choice is Google over both Microsoft and Apple. Has anyone else noticed how Apple and Microsoft both give you access to your “history” your history is maintained by thier OS. The only reason I believe this is now part of their OS is they now access anything they want in your history Also keeping you data in the cloud is a better way to know everything you do. (BOTH WHEN &WHAT)
One drive keeps a COPY of your file, it does not move it - there’s a OneDrive folder on your computer. If you really don’t want to use OneDrive, sign out of it and uninstall it. Quick Access are just shortcuts to files on your computer. History is a new convenience. Google does that too.
I’m afraid I’m going to be a little too blunt here… but here goes. I also use Windows. I don’t want anything of mine in anyone’s cloud. I don’t find this difficult to achieve. Just don’t put things in the cloud, and they won’t be there. You have to understand the offer, and the settings around it, but it’s not impossible to avoid it. I use Windows 10 Pro, and it has the option in the registry to even disable OneDrive. I also only use a local account, so am never signed into a cloud to track me. I’ve heard on the non Pro version of Windows you have to jump through more hoops to get a local account, but I believe it is still possible.
On the other hand, there are benefits in using the cloud for those who want it to just work. OneDrive could be a backup for your important files, in case your PC dies or your house burned or similar. In theory using a Microsoft account to log in can save your bacon if you forget your password and setup their recovery options (like using a phone#.)
In the end, most of us are not that interesting to the cloud operators… they don’t really want to see our stuff. They may want their “AI” to see it though, so they can better advertise to us.
Quick access is user defined, you define what is in the quick access list. By default, on my system, which I do have OneDrive still active, it is all local locations. I have now added folders from my HiDrive cloud drive to the quick access list.
I also have DropBox, which I use with an author, whose book I am editing.
Office 365 will try and store files on OneDrive by default, but that can be changed. And, by default, if you use OneDrive, the files are on your device and in the cloud. You control whether they are stored locally or not.
At the end of the day, it is up to you to take control of your data. If you don’t like OneDrive, iDrive or Gdrive, then disable them and store the data where you want.
I use HiDrive for cloud replication, because it is an EU based service, so it complies with GDPR (something that none of the big-3 does), but I still store everything on my PC and it is replicated to my local NAS and I use Carbonite to a TNO encrypted backup in the cloud.
At the end of the day, it isn’t about the transparency of where the different services are storing your data, it is how those companies are run and why they want your data. Google is the one I would trust least to look after my data. In fact, on my Android devices, apart from YouTube, every Google app and service is disabled or de-installed and in the web interface to my Google account, all tracking is allegedly disabled.
It is your data, take responsibility for it. Store it where you want it stored, that is your choice. Microsoft, Apple and Google, as well as Amazon and others, would like you to store their data by them, either for increased revenue (Microsoft and Apple) or increased information about you (Google and Amazon). If you don’t want that, don’t use their services.
It seems like the Quick Access feature is really causing some consternation for you here… you can configure your File Explorer to show the classic This PC view on launch instead of Quick Access if you’d like:
Open File Explorer and click View, then click Options
Click the Open File Explorer to dropdown box and select This PC, then Apply to save the change
You make your choices and I make mine. Thanks for your response.
I have done that but sometimes it resets.
Switched from Carbonite to idrive.
They are not even comparable? … One is a backup solution, the other is the synchronisation of data between devices and cloud storage.
What do you mean by switched?
Maybe I am paranoid a bit. I have done genealogical research fo 20 years. All my 20 years of data is why I need to know where my data is. Bought a desktop computer about 2 years ago. Had The Geek Squad set it up. Noticed my Family Tree Software backup was saving to One Drive first and then to my computer. Tried to change the backup then. So I have been closely watching where my data was. This summer noticed My backup was only going to the cloud. The files look like they are on my computer when using the computer however my Carbonite back up had links in the latest files. The software shows where the backup is located. Tried to change to backup to my computer. That is when I saw the default place for my data is in One Drive. No notice from Microsoft about the change. Found that idrive will save my online files. I will never trust Microsoft again.
I can use idrive to access my data. Also added Drop Box and Google to the set up. One way or another I will have my data
I have been using idrive since way before Leo had them as a sponsor. But, I only use the free tier. I have had it as a backup for all my son’s baby photos, and all pics of him up to now. But, now I am almost full on the free tier.
But, I also use Google Drive, which I do pay for…