Over 10,000 people have signed a petition asking Google for a native Linux version of their desktop Drive client.

The petition argues that ‘no [computing] minority should be under represented’.

Desktop clients for Windows and Mac OS X allow users of the Google service to keep their files in sync with their desktops, while mobile clients for Android and iOS give on-the-go access, to uploaded files.

Google are yet to issue a formal response to the petition, either directly or to us.

Packaged Applications

At the time of Google Drive’s launch a Linux desktop client was mooted by the search giant. But since then little else has been heard.

But why ? Google’s internal OS, nicknamed ‘Goobuntu’, is based on Ubuntu. Surely their own employees would benefit from a Drive client ?

Short of any formal response speculation is all we have. So what’s the hold up ?

Ignoring the reasonable concerns over fragmented file-managers, differing APIs between desktops, and a choice of toolkits to build in, the main reason for a delay could be to do with Google Chrome.

Google are making a big deal out of ‘Packaged Apps‘ for Chrome and the features they can offer.

Near-native, these apps are able to look and work like traditional native system apps – despite being written in the same technologies as web apps - thanks to privileged APIs giving access to system hardware.

With a packaged version of Google Music rumoured to be on the way – which is able to ‘watch’ music folders for new music – a packaged version of a Drive client could just meet the needs of Linux users.

Only tIme will tell – but adding more weight to the petition will surely fasten the answer.

Google Drive for Linux Petition

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