Hey, we’re back, sorta, but here’s a fresh (well recorded on December 2nd) Max Geek. Here’s what us professional underachievers cover.
Live Mesh proves that Microsoft gets it. It’s taken a long time for Microsoft to realize the importance of the cloud and cloud computing, but with Live Mesh we’ve seen a killer app that really gets it.
The concept of Live Mesh is pretty simple and not really new. Basically it’s a way to store your documents online. The real difference in Mesh is not just about online storage, it’s about syncing files. When you create a Live Mesh folder on the Live Mesh Desktop you can access it from anywhere. By that I mean any web browser, or any Windows, OSX or Windows Mobile device with the software installed. When you’re using the actual application it seamlessly keeps your local version of that folder in sync with the online version. Sounds simple and really it is.
We’re quicky approaching our 100th episode (if you combine vol. 1 and vol. 2) and our 4 year anniversary. Look for something special the week of November 17th. Anyway, here’s what Jeff and I covered.
Remember that Apple debacle with the software kill switch? The one that was hidden. The one that Apple claimed was to remove malicious software. Well Google just fessed up to having something similar in Android. Now even I cut Apple some slack because I could see it being used to remove malicious software. Google however is a little more vague about what they’re going to use it for. Here’s what Google said.
“Google may discover a product that violates the developer distribution agreement … in such an instance, Google retains the right to remotely remove those applications from your device at its sole discretion”
Wow, that sounds a lot more ominous. I mean this doesn’t sound like it’s about viruses. Frankly I don’t trust Googles agreements. Google is a big fan of quietly slipping in things that are consumer unfriendly in those agreements and while I haven’t read the agreement (not for lack of trying, all I could find was the SDK license agreement) it worries me. I’m sorry but the software I want to run on my device is my damn choice. This is one thing Microsoft gets right, they don’t forceably remove software, you don’t have to run the malicious software tool. I mean this is an open source OS, isn’t the point to be able to run whatever we want. I can understand Apple, but Google?
I should mention that Google has promised to attempt to recover your original purchase price from the developer. Actually that part worries me more than anything. I paid for software and they want to remove it? None of their damn business. If they want to check for viruses and social engineering scams great, give me the option to opt out of their interference. Frankly I don’t need their help and I don’t want it.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Google has abandoned their original mission statement, do no evil. Now their goal seems to be to do no evil as long as it’s convenient and doesn’t limit our control over everything. Google is rapidly becoming the new evil empire. While Microsoft is trying (although not always very successfully) to correct their past mistakes, Google has embraced their power we all know power corrupts.
