The Daily Reveille
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Opinion
page 9
Google Drive leads iCloud, others in online storage PRESS X TO NOT DIE
ADAM ARINDER Columnist Clouds are awesome. You can lie out on a pretty day and look up at the sky, imagining the shapes and objects each cloud looks like. They protect us from the sun, provide us rain to run around in and also give us cool words like “cumulonimbus.” These days, the term “cloud” also refers to storing and sharing your data online. In a nutshell, cloud storage refers to saving data to a company’s server which can be accessed remotely from numerous devices with Internet connection. Basically, you can save stuff online and access it almost wherever you want. Many companies, small and large, provide cloud storage
services: Dropbox, Microsoft SkyDrive, Amazon Cloud Drive, Wuala, Cubby and Apple iCloud, just to name a few. A big name missing from that list is Google. That all changed last week when Google released its version of cloud storage, Google Drive. The service could be potentially big for University students due to its ease of access and use with TigerMail (which is Gmail). Google Drive offers five gigabytes of free storage to everyone, which can be used to save almost any type of file. While this may not sound different from other similar services, Google Drive distinguishes itself with its search capabilities. Not only can users quickly search within files uploaded to Drive, they can also search on scanned text in images uploaded, using character recognition running in Google Cloud. Since so many people, including University students, are already
connected through Gmail, upgrading to Drive is a breeze. Not only does it work on Google-based services, Drive can also be downloaded to your PC or Mac. Once activated, a folder appears on your desktop, and users simply drag the files they want saved on their drive. The files are copied and accessible on any other computer connected to the Internet. Google Drive is also available on Android devices, of course, with an iOS version to be released “in the coming weeks,” according to a Google spokesman. There’s been no word on Windows Phone or Blackberry versions yet. With Google and Apple being such competitors in the tech industry, their products will always be compared to one another. iCloud officially launched last year, syncing Macs, iPhones, iPads and basically any other device with an “i” in front of it.
However, Apple doesn’t allow users the same type of control or access into its iCloud. Sure, the service is very easy to use — it’s an Apple product, after all — but there isn’t much transparency there. Users can’t really delve too much into the innerworkings of iCloud. Google Drive allows users more access to the files saved on the service, but it may be more daunting at first to someone unfamiliar with cloud storage. If you’re looking for an online backup that automatically saves all of your files on your computer to the cloud in case of accidental deletes or file corruptions, Google Drive doesn’t appear to be there yet. Services like Dropbox or Apple’s Time Machine may be a better solution, since those save not only your current files, but older versions of your files as well, in case of emergency. Google entering the cloud
storage game just means another heated competition between these tech giants for the users’ hardearned dollar. What’s great right now, however, is all of the services I’ve mentioned in this column offer free storage that is upgradable later. While Apple users will stick with iCloud because they have to, Google Drive seems like an obvious choice for heavy Google/ Android users, and SkyDrive is great for those with Windows Phone. I’m just kidding. No one actually uses a Windows Phone. Adam Arinder is a 22-year-old communication studies senior from Baton Rouge. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_aarinder.
Contact Adam Arinder at aarinder@lsureveille.com
Use of Lil’ Boosie lyrics in court unfair, sets bad precedent THE C-SECTION CHRIS GRILLOT Columnist Editor’s note: This column contains explicit language. Lil’ Boosie is out chea! But he’s not out gang-banging with guns on West Garfield Street with his crew as depicted in his music video for “We Out Chea.” This time, Boosie’s out chea (out of Angola, that is) for trial. Jury selection started Monday. The Baton Rouge rapper, whose real name is Torrence Hatch, is facing a first-degree murder charge in the murder-for-hire of Terry Boyd. Hatch is accused of paying Michael “Marlo Mike” Louding to kill Boyd in 2009. Boosie is currently in jail for conspiring to smuggle drugs into Angola and a third-offense marijuana possession charge. The trial is like any other, except for one thing — District Judge Mike Erwin is allowing the jurors to hear some of Boosie’s ultra-violent lyrics. This move brings up the question: Should one’s creative work be available for use against him or her in court? Prosecutor Dana Cummings said she considers some of the lyrics “admission” and will use them to demonstrate Boosie’s “intent, motive and plan,” according to The Advocate. It doesn’t seem like it would be too hard to convince the jury Boosie is a killer from the lyrics of many of his songs — which is why they should not be allowed in court.
“... And that is why, your honor, Mr. Kubrick should be found guilty on all charges of falling in love with a 14-year-old, aggravated rape and murder of an entire group of astronauts with the use of self-aware artificial intelligence, based on the evidence of his films.” TIM MORGAN / The Daily Reveille
In one song, titled “187,” Boosie raps, “I’m the reason why the murder rate is sky high,” and “any nigga who try to play me, they dead now.” The chorus repeats the word “murda.” In another song, “Lime Light,” Boosie raps, “Marlo Mike up in the back seat beggin’ for a body.” In “We Out Chea,” Boosie raps in the first verse, “Fuck wit me, die slow,” and “I’m going to do this shit myself, fuck
the consequences.” The music video also depicts Boosie and his crew a few blocks from campus pointing pistols into the camera and beating a man in an empty lot. Sure, the music is violent. But does it necessarily show guilt? Look at Bret Easton Ellis’ novel “American Psycho.” It’s filled with extremely graphic murders involving chain saws, acid and nail guns, among others. That’s far more intense than any Boosie
song, but Ellis was never accused of murder — just indecency and a sick mind. Another example is Eminem. In his song “3 a.m.,” he raps about wrapping his cousin in Christmas lights, pushing him in a bath tub, cutting him into pieces and then drinking his blood. No one pointed at Eminem and called him a killer, either. But imagine if these artists were on trial for a violent crime. Displaying the violent aspects of
their art for the jury can only do one thing — imply guilt. So why is it happening now to Boosie? Whether or not he is guilty, the lyrics are probably being allowed because the prosecutors don’t have enough evidence to convict him. If they did have enough evidence, there would be no need to let the jury listen to the music. Otherwise, the facts would speak for themselves. Though I am not a lawyer, I would suggest Judge Irwin implement a gag order on the jury so they do not listen to Boosie’s songs or watch his music videos. I doubt one can listen to Boosie’s songs or watch his videos and still view him objectively for a fair trial. It’s hard to defend someone who appears to be a criminal through his or her art, especially when the person is on trial for murder. But it’s a low-blow to use someone’s art against him or her in court. Allowing creative work in court sets a precedent for the future. Will artists start to suppress their creativity for fear it could be used against them in court? I hope not, but if all goes as planned, Boosie will be found guilty whether or not he really is. See you at the Angola Prison Rodeo. Chris Grillot is a 21-year-old English and mass communication senior from New Orleans. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_cgrillot.
Contact Chris Grillot at cgrillot@lsureveille.com