Microsoft downgrades free OneDrive storage to 5 GB

[Puppy]

Microsoft downgrades free OneDrive storage to 5 GB only from current 30 GB one (15 GB free + 15 GB camera roll storage bonus)
http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft ... ge-options
https://blog.onedrive.com/onedrive_changes_FAQ/ (the link is dead now)

Wondering how many Office 365 customers it brings Another Microsoft bad decision and overreaction. I understand the 75 TB overuse argument but the 5 GB storage is ridiculous.

[RealBlackStuff]

This one describes the same daylight-robbery from Micro$haft: http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft- ... TRE17cfd61

Why should anyone want to pay for M$ stuff, when you can get it for free from LibreOffice?

[pianowizard]

Wondering how many Office 365 customers it brings Another Microsoft bad decision and overreaction. I understand the 75 TB overuse argument but the 5 GB storage is ridiculous.

Yes, this is probably THE worst business decision I have ever heard of. Even Yahoo Mail, which is free, provides 1 TB. Gmail is stingier, but still gives 15 GB.

[brchan]

Microsoft is going downhill. I stopped using all their products shortly after Windows 8 was introduced.

Regarding office products, yes, libreoffice has 99% of the features most people use, and more. I only remember one instance of compatability issues, but it was converting a very complex diagram from word to libreoffice writer. But even then, the error was easily corrected.

[pianowizard]

Microsoft is going downhill. I stopped using all their products shortly after Windows 8 was introduced.

On the whole, I have found myself liking Microsoft more and more. Windows 10 and 8.1 are better than 7 and XP, and far better than NT, 98, 98SE, and ME. The Surface, Surface Pro and Surface Book are among the most innovative computers today, and innovating in such a mature field is incredibly difficult. A few Lumia phones have caught my eye, and while I haven't tried Windows Phone 10 (officially called "Windows 10 for Phones"), it seems very promising. Internet Explorer and Hotmail have also gotten much better over the years.

Regarding office products, yes, libreoffice has 99% of the features most people use, and more. I only remember one instance of compatability issues, but it was converting a very complex diagram from word to libreoffice writer. But even then, the error was easily corrected.

Office is probably the only Microsoft product line that's going downhill, which is inevitable because for >99% of users including myself, all the features that we will ever need are already covered in Office 2007. Nonetheless, Microsoft has still managed to profit quite a bit from Office 365, which is impressive.

[Puppy]

On the whole, I have found myself liking Microsoft more and more.

For me there is no better alternative yet. I am also impressed by their software development tools and server technologies but this is different story. MS Office is the only product I don't like since I don't like those office suites in general, including Outlook (Thunderbird is far better option, at least for me).

As for the topic, the response is quite strong https://onedrive.uservoice.com/forums/2 ... ur-storage It is also "good" timing for such news when Windows 10 Mobile is going to be released

[Temetka]

Micro$haft

You lost me.

They downgraded the service because some people ruined it for others. While 5GB might be a little stingy keep in mind it's free.

Let's say they have 10 million people at 5GB each. That is 50 petabytes of space they have to provide. And backup/mirror so there is no data loss when drives eventually die. Plus the servers to host the drives. Plus racks and cabling. Miles and miles of ethernet. Plus routers and switches and firewalls. Plus bandwidth. Plus electricity and cooling. Plus wages for people manning the NOC and dataceter. Plus wages for the dev team. Plus taxes they pay on those W2 employees. Plus benefits.

So let's assume that 75% of the 110 million Windows 10 users are using their free space. That's 412.5 PETABYTES. Not counting the Windows 7 and 8 users, plus people with 2 or more free accounts, etc. Just for OneDrive.

And they give this away for free.

That's a hell of an investment in cash and resources to just give it away. Do you want to cover the bill for that? I don't.

Quit [censored] about how much free storage space you get and be glad that you get free storage space.

This entitlement mentality. I don't get it.

[RealBlackStuff]

Not for the first time Microsoft is shafting people for money reasons, hence the word Micro$haft, capisce?
It's not that people now ONLY get 5GB, it's about the principle.
They promise you the moon, in the end you get just a picture of it...

[Saucey]

I agree it is messed up that M$ would do such a thing, its a panic attack for some to stay MicroSoft and pay up or look for other venues for storage.
I do like google's cloud storage, it is pretty nice, google sheets is very convenient.

[Dekks]

Classic bait n switch, but not the first time for M$.

[Temetka]

I don't usually defend Microsoft, but the company is really impressing me lately.

That being said WRT to this topic: They offered unlimited storage and some people decided "Hey I'll be a jackass and stick 75TB of data on my OneDrive." Thus killing Microsoft's goodwill. I don't blame them for downgrading it. Is it bait and switch? No. They offered it as unlimited until a few rotten apples spoiled the bunch.

More importantly storage is still pricey when offering it for free to millions of people. Some of the sense of entitlement I see in this thread just makes me sick. They don't have to offer a single bit of storage for free and yet they give you 5GB. What is it you people want? 20GB? 1TB? Free? What's next, free operating systems, free copies of office? How about Windows Server for free?

No one owes you anything. Get over yourselves, man the F up, and be an adult about the situation and realize the Microsoft is in business to make money, not give away products.

Bah!

[Dekks]

This entitlement mentality. I don't get it.

Nowt to do with that, they promised one thing and went back on their word, all they had to do was restrict the ones abusing the storage but no they ramp up the prices and cut the quotas.

[Puppy]

They don't have to offer a single bit of storage for free and yet they give you 5GB. What is it you people want? 20GB? 1TB? Free?

They had promised 15 GB storage for camera pictures. Don't forget it is not possible to change default cloud provider on Windows Mobile/Phone devices. Also their competition has currently much better offering.

[Ibthink]

They had promised 15 GB storage for camera pictures. Don't forget it is not possible to change default cloud provider on Windows Mobile/Phone devices. Also their competition has currently much better offering.

Well, I have just checked my Lumia 930, and you are wrong - you can set other apps, such as DropBox, as the default cloud / for the direct upload of pictures.

In general, this decision is boneheaded in some ways, and understandable in others. Boneheaded when it comes to the 15 GB for pictures, thats really something they should take back. But in general, its understandable - Microsoft does not want to be a "cloud archive / backup" provider. Onedrive is a side-business for them that does not much or no money, and it would get worse in a few years - as would they have to keep all your data safe and secure, they would need to built large capacities as backups "just in case" (because HDDs sometimes fail, even HDDs in big server). The costs would explode mid-term.

Also, they never should have promised unlimited storage.

As I use Office 365, I will keep using Onedrive. Office 365 in combination with the 1 TB of Onedrive storage is still a very nice deal. However, if I wouldn´t use Office 365, I probably would migrate over to Dropbox maybe.

[Temetka]

They don't have to offer a single bit of storage for free and yet they give you 5GB. What is it you people want? 20GB? 1TB? Free?

They had promised 15 GB storage for camera pictures. Don't forget it is not possible to change default cloud provider on Windows Mobile/Phone devices. Also their competition has currently much better offering.

Not owning a Windows phone / tablet, I was unaware of this.

So I can't install Dropbox or iCloud on say, a Lumia 1520?

[Ibthink]

So I can't install Dropbox or iCloud on say, a Lumia 1520?

You can´t install iCloud cause the app does not exist, but you absolutely can install Dropbox and use it to backup you pictures.

[Temetka]

Good to know, thanks.

[Puppy]

If you are a free OneDrive user and want to keep your storage, do this
http://www.ghacks.net/2015/12/11/if-you ... e-do-this/

[rambo47]

Looks like Microsoft has caved and is restoring the full 15GB to legacy users.

http://xenero.com.au/microsoft-caves-an ... ive-users/

Calling it "bait and switch" is not really fair as it's FREE. Now if they were charging for it and then changing the terms after the fact, yeah, that would be bait and switch.