Google Drive for Linux on the way

Google Drive launching has been the big announcements of the week, but it was a fairly unequivocal disappointment for one vocal category of users: Linux users are justifiably miffed that the new cloud storage service doesn't support the free and open source operating system.

Such has been the level of dismay following the announcement, in fact, that the term "#DriveforLinux" has since been a hot trending topic on Google+, where countless users have been voicing their surprise and concern.

Late in the day on April 24, however, Google Docs Community Manager Teresa Wu spoke up with the news Linux users have been wanting to hear.

"We're working on Linux support - hang tight!" Wu wrote.

Without the forthcoming support, Linux users of Google Drive can't automatically synchronise their files with the service the way Windows and OSX users can, making the new offering much less appealing than competing alternatives, such as the very similar and yet Linux-friendly Ubuntu One.

Canonical's Ubuntu One also offers users 5GB of free storage, and the service is about to be upgraded further with the release of Ubuntu 12.04 "Precise Pangolin."

Wu didn't specify a time frame for the addition of the new support, but it's still great to hear that it's coming.

After all, Google just recently announced that it's shutting down Picasa for Linux, causing another sore spot in the Linux community.

Still, given Google's general openness and reliance on Linux in its own products and operations - Android itself is, of course, Linux based - it would have been very surprising indeed if the company had left Linux users out in the cold on this new service as well.

So, for now, assuming these latest assurances are true, it looks like Drive will soon be a viable contender for Linux users after all.