Is Google Docs A Good Place To Store CAD Files?

I was reading Google Enterprise Blog – Store and share files in the cloud… My hunch is that PLM eco-system needs to be prepared in potential leak of users going to collaborate via Google accounts. So, I decided to put my pros and cons for this scenario.

The pros of this scenario are obvious to me. The store is online, access is in everyplace. You don’t have to think about devices, backups, USB drives, etc .. However, CAD-related environment is not there (yet). To see a potential, you can take a look on Google 3D Warehouse.

What is potential cons. Size is one of them. At the time when the cost of external hard drives is going sharp down, cost of online storage can definitely a question. The second (and first asked everytime you speak about online) is security. However, it will depend on the type of customers. I do believe, initial adoption will be going bottom up and smaller customers will less care about the security topic. The missing piece in Google App chain is a solution for viewing of CAD files. The question if some of Viewing Solutions, available on the market, can be adopted to Google App? This can be a very interesting turn.

What is my conclusion today? The interest for online storage for collaboration and data sharing will grow. Based on good consumer experience with online services, customers will start to ask questions about how to adopt similar practices in the companies. What is your view on that? Will you be interested in the cloud based collaborative apps?

Best, Oleg