Google Drive Storage Promotion Ending

[mexcar]

Hola,

La verdad estoy un poco confundido; cuando salio la promoción en ningún sitio decía que era algo "temporal". Solamente decía que se estaba otorgando ese beneficio.

Como es normal, uno se hace a la idea que va a tener ese espacio mientras se mantenga el programa y sigas realizando colaboraciones y subiendo de nivel, ya que no indicaba en ningún lado que era una promoción temporal o por tiempo limitado. Sería de agradecer que el propio Google considere un precio especial o al menos, algún código de descuento para poder mantener el espacio, lo cual económicamente no es nada en la cuenta de resultados de google vs los beneficios que obtiene con las colaboraciones que hacemos los local guides. Si google no solucionara este malentendido, más bien parece que se dio una promoción de espacio por tiempo limitado, con la idea de que finalmente el usuario pague por mantener ese espacio (o que estoy seguro que terminará haciendo muchos Local Guides) y hacer negocio basado en los que necesitamos ese espacio ya por costumbre (algo parecido al mes de prueba de Netflix, pero con un espacio en G. Drive).

En fin, sabemos que las políticas de los beneficios de los local guides pueden tener cambios y se van ajustando con las necesidades, pero también considero que tener un código de descuento para un drive con vista en 5 años, tampoco es mucho... además no tiene que ser de 1T, con 100Mb debería ser suficiente.

¿que os parece la idea? ¿sería posible que alguien en google escuche este razonamiento?

Gracias

Carlos M

[BruceDM]

Hello @PTKLENK - The drive space promotion ended back in March of 2017 and was in the process of phasing out before that.  The benefits for the Local Guides program have always changed and this is especially true as the program has gotten larger. As i've shared on this forum in the past, there is no financial or promised drive compensation from being a Local Guide and the program is completely at-will and one that Local Guides are free to join and leave at their own leisure. Much like a Google search, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Drive, Sheets, Docs, Slides and the many other products that Google offers to the public free of charge, we hope that people will find some benefit in the Local Guides program as much as they find benefit in the other free offerings from Google, and if they get an extra perk in return, that is even more of a bonus.

Many Local Guides don't contribute or congregate here because they care about drive space, but rather to engage in discussions around the product if there are issues, offer their suggestions for product improvement and most importantly, to foster a community with regional Local Guides or members of this program around the world. This often happens through contributions that they are happy to share and especially because they enjoy giving to something that they know they get so much out of.

[chrisaw]

It's lovely of Google to offer all of these wonderful platforms to us free of charge and it's awesome that they don't make any income at all and do all of this because they're just kind!

Oh... Wait... They take the data people like me contribute and use it to expose ads to people in order to generate revenue.

Because ultimately they're a business so this holier than thou nonsense has no place here.

A business wants me to contribute my time for free so they can cash in on my knowledge and have a "perks" system in which there are no perks.

What a complete scam! It's not that people contributed for drive space - its that people who contributed are being told they're worth nothing. The least Google could do is offer something to thank us for the stacks of cash we've generated them.

Oh and fake perks aren't helping! Thanks for contributing! You too can have 3 months Google Music!! Oh and so can absolutely everyone else. <INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE REMOVED>

[Flash]

Hello @mexcar,

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Como es normal, uno se hace a la idea que va a tener ese espacio mientras se mantenga el programa y sigas realizando colaboraciones y subiendo de nivel, ya que no indicaba en ningún lado que era una promoción temporal o por tiempo limitado. 

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The promotion did have a stated expiry period right at the beginning.  I happen to still have the announcement in my email, here is a screenshot, please notice the portion I've circled:

The follow up perk offering 100GB also had a time limit on it from day 1, and both gave more exact details on the pages on which you signed up.  I'm sorry if you didn't see them at the time, but you should find that most perks do have conditions and time limits for which you should watch.

[Csaba]

I also have my original email stating that the 1Tb storage was for two years: 

1Tb for 2 years

As you can see from the date (highlighted at top right) my storage ended in December last year. Do I mind? Yes, of course. Sure it would be nice to have 1Tb life time. As well as a Pixel phone or a Pixel book for free. Did I get any? No, I did not. Did I know that my 1Tb was only for two years? Sure I did - and unless it really mattered for me to pay an extra $100 yearly, which I cannot afford at the moment, I would gladly pay just like @JosephDewey is planning to. 

Perks come and go. I did not used my Google Music (or what) perk as I was not interested. Maybe some day there will be something more useful for me, too. But until then I just try to enjoy myself and the way I contribute to Maps as well as the community here.

[Sapy]

Hi,

sorry to bother but I am new and want to ask if there is gonna be a opportunity to have a free drive space (or part of it) which would be very beneficial especially because I contribute a lot on Google Maps and all the photos is taking my space on Google Drive. Would you reconsider your decision please? It would be a big help!

Thanks!

Kind regards,

Sasa

[XishXehman]

Yes sister

[SusanPearson]

I find it interesting that it appears every person posting in favor of, or in defense of this idiotic decision either works for Google, or is a moderator of some form.  I feel very managed.  Unfortunately for them, I'm not a lemming.  You can't manage my thoughts, nor my actions.  At least not yet.  1984...

[Csaba]

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@SusanPearson wrote:

I find it interesting that it appears every person posting in favor of, or in defense of this idiotic decision either works for Google, or is a moderator of some form.  I feel very managed.  Unfortunately for them, I'm not a lemming.  You can't manage my thoughts, nor my actions.  At least not yet.  1984...

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 @SusanPearson, when I received that 1Tb of storage, I was not a moderator. Yet I knew it was temporary so I acted accordingly. Certainly I am also sorry that I did not receive it life-time but to be fair, I had to share the screen shot of my email displaying it was only for two years. 

I do not know why you state that "every person posting in favor of, or in defense of this idiotic decision either works for Google, or is a moderator of some form" unless maybe mainly people who hang around here, listen and read (even the small print) become moderators or get promoted in any other way. 

Just as a comparison: up to this very time, you have contributed with exactly 4 posts (among which one of your above rant counting for one). I am not the most prolific poster among the mods here but even I have nearly 2,500 posts. Yet at the same time,I do not have any more perks than you, my 1Tb storage expired in December 2017 (about a month ago) and I do not enjoy any further advantages or privileges in the program (except for a branded jacket that I have received - yes, indeed - for my last year's moderator work). 

I know that this place is supposed to be "warm and welcoming" but I am really fed up with all the insinuations some of you are suggesting here. I spend most of my forum time with deleting spam, moving posts to the relevant subforums around here, maybe occasionally I can even contribute to clueless LG's with my suggestion and help so that you (well, maybe not YOU but those that really spend time here) have a better forum experience and there are folks whose 1/4 of their posts is just about belittling the work moderators are doing here. 

Thanks, @SusanPearson.

[Flash]

Hi @SusanPearson,

I feel very managed.

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You are free to feel however you want, if we were trying to control the conversation we would censor posts, which is not what is happening.  The mods, both Google and volunteer, are not here to change your mind; obviously a lot of people in this thread contributed for a different reason than was ever intended and thus there is no avoiding them being disappointed when they realize that what they anticipated is different than reality.  But when incorrect things are stated as fact you can expect the mods to state the facts in order that misinformation is not on the forums.  Similarly, if people cannot be civil to each other then we will step in.

I find it interesting that it appears every person posting in favor of, or in defense of this idiotic decision either works for Google, or is a moderator of some form.

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Contributions to the map have always been intended as ways to help your local community, and since that is what the vast majority of users are doing you won't see them in this thread.  When people were sent a thank you perk that stated right from the beginning that it was valid for 2 years; almost all will not be surprised or hurt when it expires 2 years later, and thus their absence from this thread.

The community would be sad to see anyone here stop or slow down their participation in Local Guides, as the community as a whole strives for a better map for all.  At the same time no one wants to see anyone contribute for the wrong reasons, so we'll remind all what the purpose of contributing has always been and let each person decide if that is a proper motivation for them or not.