Google Workspace will soon replace duplicate files in Drive with "shortcuts", which to me sound like hard links.
(I just received a specific announcement with a date in the near future for a Google-Workspace-linked domain I manage.) While this could be a helpful, space-saving move for Google, I wonder if it could facilitate accidental, undesired editing of original files in Drive, in instances when one wants to edit a copy of a file but not the original. Personally, I often duplicate files in order to start a new project, or to create a new document inspired on an original. The new project or documented should be handled separately from the original, and edits to the new documents should not affect the originals at all. Yet this is what I fear might happen with Google Workspace's upcoming migration to shortcuts. Maybe this won't be a risk to new projects created after Google first deduplicates one's files but it sounds like it could be a risk for active, existing projects after deduplication.I don't know whether I'm correctly understanding what Google will do with shortcuts but I'd appreciate clarification from anyone who has deeper understanding of this upcoming change. My own understanding is based on the following Google documents:
https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2021/12/timeline-update-for-migration-of-multi-location-drive-files.html
https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2020/08/expanding-shortcuts-google-drive.html
https://support.google.com/a/answer/10686746
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/10864219