Google Drive is a free service by Google that allows users to share and cooperatively edit documents on the Google's Web App interface. Since its inception, Google Drive has set standarts about what this type of services should be; starting with allowing to share both files and folders, multiple editors simultaneously, comments embedded within the files allowing to tag specific parts, and complete office suit support.
I began using this service back when I started my BSc in CS. I found it to be a great tool, providing the flexibility required to produce thoses ungodly reports expected in University. Using the import facilities allowed me to prototype a document with ease, from my own office suit - LibreOffice - and, share it with my colleagues with whom I was expected to produce the document.
Being that, within a medium sized work group ( 2 ~ 5 students ), we would have all range of popular OS'es ( from OSX to Windows and back to Linux again ), the development of deliverables proved more often a bigger headache than the work itself - since we had to coordinate between multiple file formats and even line endind characters.
I have developed further my usage of Google Drive to the point where I store all my reports, class notes and even class ebooks or handouts within Drive folders. It became natural to expect, since I am a Dropbox user too, a client to handle all my synching requirements for me, from my laptop to my drive and vice-versa; and here started my endeavour.
I've found, very early on, that even though Google Drive is, by its very nature, OS independent, Google's decisions to implement and distribute a official client were not, and this set me back; don't get me wrong, I am truly a googled guy. I use multiple Google Services, and I've grown to admire Google's stand on many IT field issues, but, the lacking of a native GNU/Linux client for Google Drive when one is already available for Microsoft Windows left me wondering the motivations behind that decision.
Since I am undertaking a MSc under CS, I took it upon myself to ascertain the existance of a solution, and if not develop my own with my spare time.
This is the project I will document within this blog, and you are invited to check it out, and give me your feedback - I'll truly appreciate it.
Visit the development: https://code.google.com/p/goodrive/
