back to article Evernote dumps its own bit barn, boards Google's cloud

Smiles a-plenty down Google way today, after web scrapbook Evernote declared it was tired of running its own bit barns and decided to adopt the G-Cloud. Evernote says it's just turned eight and “has owned, configured, and maintained its own servers and networks” since day one. Doing so gave it “the ability to build the …

  1. inmypjs Silver badge

    "Evernote's not saying why it chose Google"

    Probably because Google gave them a good deal in exchange for reading everyone's notes.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Evernote's not saying why it chose Google"

      Yes, let's translate this:

      Evernote says it's just turned eight and “has owned, configured, and maintained its own servers and networks” since day one.

      Doing so gave it “the ability to build the service we wanted the way we wanted to build it.”

      We had an idea and we managed to get enough VC cash to give people the illusion we had a viable business ...

      But the company has now decided its own rig is “expensive to maintain, slow to upgrade, and difficult to scale [and] lacks the speed and flexibility we need for tomorrow.”

      .. but then the accountants looked at our numbers, and the only way we can keep our lifestyle is by selling you out. And you know what choices we make in the US when it's either profit or your rights..

  2. Oengus
    Thumb Down

    Evernote no more

    Next app to be uninstalled on my phone... Evernote. Why use Cloud storage for notes on my phone? I can back up notes without Cloud...

    1. joeW

      Re: Evernote no more

      You're somehow unaware that Evernote has always been a cloud app?

  3. tempemeaty

    "Notes to the rescue.

    I've successfully switched over all my Evernote data to "Notes" on my mac. I'm sort of shocked it went this well. I just wanted out from under the pay for play Sword Of Damocles that I've been watching Evernote begin to string up over my head. Now you say they're moving to Google's cloud. Well Evernote using G-cloud is the final nail in the coffin. I wish them well but I'm not going with them on their new journey.

  4. ZedThePirate
    Meh

    Paperless

    The last time Evernote raised it prices I decided to get rid, and discovered a project called paperless https://paperless.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html. Which scans documents (pdf/jpegs) and OCRs them to make them searchable.

    As for me that was one of the most useful features of evernote premium, or whatever it's called now.

  5. Shmako

    Ex-Evernote premium user here. When I first started with Evernote, it was a clear leader over OneNote and the ilk due to it's clud based, your notes on every device offering. Since then they've re-arranged the UI furniture several times on their iOS, WIndows, Mac and web clients, had one major security problem and have removed more and more from their entry level tier.

    Microsoft with Office 365 on the otherhand have offered WAY more functionality for not much more outlay, with OneNote having become a fantastically good note taking app on both desktop & iOS. All this without constantly revising and renewing their UI and without their historic ownership and exclusive API exploiting of the underlying OS. On iOS at least they're on a level playing field with all of their competitors and in my own experience, are comfortably out-competing them.

    I don't wish Evernote any ill, but I can see them being absorbed as a company into Google rather than Google 'just' hosting their customer's content.

  6. lukewarmdog

    I'd be surprised if anyone thinks this is a good idea, "we're storing your data in Google" sounds like you've been assimilated into a Borg collective.

  7. dmacleo

    EN premium user, chose them specifically because they didn't use google. will have to carefully monitor the changes and make a decision later.

    wish owncloud/nextcloud had as good a notes app as evernote.

  8. kmac499

    S'all my fault

    I was late into Evernote (and I'm still not convinced it or anything else do exactly what I want), but at least I could use it across multiple devices. Ooops no down to two devices, Ooops now on G-Cloud. how long before Google buy it outright I wonder.

    What is my silver bullet app? Some sort of mashup between free-mind/plane, one/ever-note and a self linking auto-wiki. Enter the data once and view it in any of those fomats.

  9. canative

    It's always convenient to ignore those nigglesome facts which derail a perfectly good rant, but ...

    "Throughout our evaluation and decision making process we have kept our Three Laws of Data Protection front and centre (https://blog.evernote.com/blog/2014/06/03/evernotes-three-laws-data-protection-update/)

    Your Data is Yours

    Your Data is Protected

    Your Data is Portable

    Our move to the Google Cloud platform does not change or alter our commitment to these laws."

    1. andrewj

      Right, because companies never change terms like that at the drop of a hat, do they WhatsApp.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It's convenient to ignore those nigglesome facts when you get on a good rant and raise your pitchforks...but...

    "Throughout our evaluation and decision making process we have kept our Three Laws of Data Protection front and centre.

    Your Data is Yours

    Your Data is Protected

    Your Data is Portable

    Our move to the Google Cloud platform does not change or alter our commitment to these laws."

    "Google is subject to strict security and legal obligations which limit what Google can do with you data. Google will not process data for any purpose other than to fulfill our contractual obligations."

    "The only use of Evernote data by Google is to provide the Cloud services we request and NOT for targeted marketing etc"

    "Google is not allowed to use your data for their advertising purposes"

    "The Cloud Platform side of their business is separate from their search and other consumer products. Google is contractually bound not to process data for any purpose other than to deliver cloud services to Evernote."

    "For more information on Google’s administrative access practices, check out their security whitepaper. https:// cloud. google. com /security/whitepaper#administrative_access"

  11. elDog

    Thanks for that parting (r)!

    "Evernote's promising its migration to Google's cloud will be done and dusted by the end of 2016, will involve two thirty-minute outages at the very worst and will in no way compromise security or privacy. ®"

    Anything within those "finger-quotes" is meant to be read as "only in your dreams", or "I didn't really mean that."

    How many different orgs (and intelligence agencies, etc.) are now added to the list of entities that are now mining "my" data?

    Sorry - all the good stuff is located in a steamer trunk buried 12 yards behind the last birch tree next to the stone wall that separates my parent's house from the left-hand neighbors.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just dumped Evernote due to their new "total lack of privacy" policy.

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