Microslop Windows already has telemetry on their cloud servers, which means that they can see your files in Onedrive. If you want maximum security and privacy, then replace the Onedrive with Proton Drive, because it is a end-2-end encrypted cloud service despite Proton themselves offering VPN solutions.
2 Likes
LOL went there was offering 5 GB of storage made new account only got 2gb of storage...so deleted account...Thanks ill pass My dvd burner gives me 4.7 GB and bluray burner gives me 25GB
1 Like
Have you considered Mega 20Gb free plan. https://mega.io/
2 Likes
That sounds more like it, @zabadabadoo! Proton's 5 GB (free) is dismal and pretty much useless. Thank you.
Just a note for anyone interested: there is a free bonus offer of 5 GB when you download the desktop app. However, it expires after 12 months, and if you are over your 20 GB free cloud storage, you can delete files to free up space (you can earn new bonuses too), or buy more.
It sounds as if they're directly targeting Proton's users with their suite of privacy focused offerings. All based on zero-knowledge encryption architecture, no one can access your conversations, data or passwords.
I'm very interested. 
I signed up to Mega ages ago for a free storage, think it was 50 Gb back in the day. The downside, if you did not use it every 2 weeks you lost your account. At some point I might look at a family package from pCloud a one-off lifetime payment, not cheap.
Interesting. The last DVD-RW Blue Ray I purchased only holds 10 Gb, could be wrong!
1 Like
That does not happen now, but you do get the odd reminder (not 2 weeks) that you have an account and you have not signed in lately.
2 Likes
DVD-RW depending on if its dual layer is alittle over 8 GB if you have a blu-ray burner most disks start at 25gb up to the big M disks with 100GB storage i have a blu-ray burner wonderful unit too
No, because the uploaded files won't get encrypted like in proton. Mega encrypts file contents while leaving metadata (like file sizes and structure) unencrypted, meanwhile Proton provides full end-to-end encryption for both file contents and metadata, integrating tightly with Proton Mail, Calendar, and VPN. Since I'd prefer security over space, I would go for Proton, personally. For me, I don't think that having 20gb of free space plan while your acc can get deleted after a period of non-usage, let alone your files being unprotected is worth imo.
There are pros and cons, depending on your usage. I don't need to hide the meta data of my files, and 5 GB is pretty useless to me and I guess most people too. It isn't that I don't value privacy, it is that I can't afford to pay what Proton demands. If Proton offered a bit more, I think they’d be the hands-down winners, especially as they’re working on releasing a Linus desktop client (GUI) soon… that would help sell it.
At the moment, I’m never going to use OneDrive, end of story, I’d really rather use the Google suite (yes, I know!). I like Proton, but it isn’t great on Linux at the moment and the storage is dismal. MEGA, offers more for the everyday Linux user, who isn’t worried about getting a copyright infringement strike, but does value basic privacy and space to store non-sensitive data.
I don’t think I’m alone, where my salary has plummeted, the cost of living has soared, and I need privacy-focussed apps that fit my needs, while not having to worry about illegal content or copyright infringement. Ease of use in Linux (MEGA), with a GUI, calls and video conferencing that are great if you don’t need to hide who you were talking to, or when. The content is, however, end to end encrypted.
I think I’ll stay as a “mix & match” user, and at the moment, I don’t think Zorin should plum for Proton (too expensive and no GUI as yet), but at the same time: OneDrive??? OneDrive has ZERO privacy and is wholly a Microslop tool… I have stripped it out of both my Windows 11 PCs. Why anyone uses it is beyond me.
Anyone use Sync.com??? Based in Canada but better than MEGA when it comes to privacy.
1 Like
I do use Sync, due to the 5 gig limit on it for the free offer, the 5 Gig limit on Proton - means I diversify.
2 Likes
I think the 5GB limit for the free plan is the same as I now get for One Drive now I cancelled my Microsoft 365 subscription. So I guess you need to subscribe to something. For me that’s proton because I use mail, calendar, vpn and the password manager and have the unlimited plan which is pretty reasonable. It gives me 540GB which I really don’t use.
2 Likes
I paid for pCloud only to realize that they don't offer E2EE without paying once again for E2EE. They have a deceptive pricing scheme which makes it sound like you're getting E2EE with your purchase. But then once you complete the transaction, they let you know, "BTW, your data isn't private yet. Pay us another $50 a year and we'll encrypt it."
In addition to local storage for large files and media, I use MEGA and enjoy it. They have very affordable small plans for those like me who want to keep certain documents and records backed up in E2EE. Unlike Proton, they also offer a Linux app that works in both Fedora and Ubuntu-based systems and actively keeps your files synced. Last I checked, Proton Drive doesn't support Linux with a user friendly app.
2 Likes
Given the current situation with the US I would have thought that Zorin would have massively prioritised the production of a simple interface for Proton amongst other non-US providers of online storage. Many are seeking alternatives to MS365 and are like me, deeply MS orientated, to pick up Pro users it is necessary to provide tools that have some familiarity to those users - I thought this was a strength that Zorin marketed for its OS..... Please, please give us disillusioned MS365 users a real alternative to OneDrive.
3 Likes
I think the point is that there are lots of alternatives to One Drive out there, any of which you can pick up and fairly easily make your go to cloud storage. They will all cost you a little bit for more than the free storage limit but certainly less than MS365.
The inclusion of a tool to use One Drive a bit simpler was just to accommodate people moving over from windows for the first time who wanted to continue using their One Drive until they were ready for something else. I personally never did that: I copied all my one drive files to an external drive right away and have not accessed One Drive since.
I do have an independent cloud back up service and I also have proton drive (free with my email etc subscription) and ente photos.
1 Like
This.
I actually think that the suggestion made in the O.P. is worthy of consideration. The reason for One Drive (Which I do not use) is as NickS said: Not everone user has the luxury of using an alternative. Many have employment tasks that require it, etc.
For those who can, this allows a Comfortable Stepping Stone; the ability to use what is familiar before researching and replacing it.
There are a large number of applications that used to be good... but have been subverted by greed and heavy marketing and privacy concerns - which I used to use and no longer do.
And the vast majority of them are based in Sweden, Switzerland, Germany...
We are looking at Global Effects, too. And people are pretty much the same base materials the world over.
What we see in my country, the USA, is relevant all over the world. And we need to confront it, everywhere.
Because it is not just here. And somewhere else, an ethically-disinclined individual in that country is longing to become the next Bezos.
2 Likes
Much agreed! The only sane way to make the switch to privacy-respecting services is to take your time - even several months to a year. Someone might decide to focus on email one month, their OS another month, cloud storage a few months after they've gotten used to Linux, etc. When I began with Linux, I was extremely grateful for the support with OneDrive while I slowly made the transition. It also allowed me to use Zorin as my daily driver while deciding whether Linux would be a permanent thing or not.
4 Likes