Microsoft OneDrive: Father Xmas decides he doesn't want your presents back after all.

Breaking News

Microsoft has decided not to reduce the 15 GB of free storage to 5GB (and to continue the 15 GB Auto-upload Camera roll bonus) for existing users BUT you must actively let them know you're interested in keeping this free storage.

Get your free OneDrive storage back by clicking here, logging into your OneDrive account and enjoying the sight of the 'Success' page

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In case you haven't read your school report about how naughty you've been here is the chapter and verse from Microsoft on the subject

OneDrive Announcement

Having begun the long haul of transforming itself from the bête noire of the computer world Microsoft into the newer, shinier and friendlier Microsoft someone high up decided to make his or her mark.

To achieve the amazing reverse transformation back to bête noire MS had to crash some cherished industry adages. The tradition of IT development has always been bigger, cheaper, faster. "I know", thought some bright spark at MS, "let's re-think that".

In case MS just doesn't geddit let me spell it out.

Scene - the sitting room.

Dad, "You know your Xmas toys from last year, I'm taking them back so I can give you things that are not as expensive and not as good instead. Oh yes, and by the way, it's your fault because you didn't look after them properly."

Plenty of folk have commented on the folly of the image reversal process MS has decided upon so I won't labour the point any further. One thing uncommented on however is how you don't own what is in the cloud. 

Corporations do own what is in the cloud and they can rent it to you for money or for nothing but they never stop owning it and as Microsoft has amply demonstrated corporations can exert their ownership over it whenever and however they please. 

This should be the OneDrive salutary lesson from Microsoft for all those who think they "own" great digital hoards of mp3's, movies and storage space in cyberspace. Erm, they don't.

The CD, DVD and book collections on your shelves are yours. I hope you find that a comforting thought. I think I do.