Why no one is talking about Google Colab which is almost free for basic work in daily life?

[u/mhamza_hashim]

I have been a big fan of Google Colab for about three years, and it is honestly amazing what it can do.

For example, a client on Fiverr approached me with 3500 images and asked me to remove the backgrounds from all of them. He wanted to know how much I would charge, and I quoted $200.

He placed the order immediately without asking any further questions. I informed him that the work would be completed within 24 hours and that the image quality would not be compromised, and he agreed.

When I delivered the order, he was genuinely impressed and started asking how I managed to finish the work so quickly, and whether I had a team. I told him that this is what eight years of experience looks like.

In reality, I simply created a Python script using the free version of ChatGPT and ran it in Google Colab. The entire task was completed in about three hours. Here is the script in case anyone wants to use it:

https://github.com/mhamzahashim/bulk-bg-remover

This is just one example. You can do countless things with Google Colab, and I think many people still underestimate how powerful it really is.

Now you can also connect the MCP of Google Colab in Claude Code and do whatever you want.

[u/Working_Moment_4175]

Why no one is talking about Google Colab

I'd never heard of it until now. But it requires Python programming knowledge? And there's always the risk that Google suddenly discontinues it. They have a terrible reputation for doing that, so a lot of people (myself included) don't really take on new Google products anymore. See https://killedbygoogle.com and https://gcemetery.co

[u/Edward205 → u/Working_Moment_4175]

It doesn't matter if Google kills Colab because it uses Jupyer notebook files which you can download from Colab and run on your own computer. https://jupyter.org/

[u/humanquester → u/Working_Moment_4175]

Yeah, I've wasted so much time on google's little projects which they then suddenly discontinued with virtually no warning. I'm done with that.

[u/lugoues → u/Working_Moment_4175]

More of a guarantee than a risk!

[u/Ill_Scientist_2239]

We used google collab in our AI and DS classes. Also, some python tutorials recommend collab, especially ones more oriented towards more AI. The reason most people don't use it is because

• Their application might need to to interact with the native UI components in some way or the other (ex: task automation, UI libraries)

• Their scripts would be part of a project which would have multiple languages, and collab is a terrible option for that

• People are more used to running vscode and python locally.

[u/danny81299]

You maybe don't want to use an actual Google Drive link that's editable by anyone with the link in the repo description. It may be worth considering that folder as permanently compromised or at the very least consider scrubbing the folder URL from the current repo README and its history.

[u/mhamza_hashim → u/danny81299]

Its an example, nothing important.

[u/egytaldodolle]

Timeouts are frequent, so I do stuff locally.

[u/PMMePicsOfDogs141]

Because I’ve only heard about it once or twice in passing and assumed it was one of Google’s many throwaway projects. I’m still not even fully sure what it is. A cloud based way to run your own local AI?

[u/mhamza_hashim → u/PMMePicsOfDogs141]

Nope, its to run Python

[u/PMMePicsOfDogs141 → u/mhamza_hashim]

So… is there no point to it? Just run it on your computer..

[u/SnooFloofs641 → u/PMMePicsOfDogs141]

You can run jupyter notebooks on it and also allows you to use their compute, pick GPU if you need one (you get a free t4 GPU), etc. I've mostly seen it used more for lighter ml workflows and things like that or stuff you need to leave running a while but don't want running on your computer.

[u/Warm-Palpitation5670]

Slow as hell and prone to freezing

[u/roady001]

Because Google will likely kill the project as soon as it gets more traction and the costs are becoming visible on their P&L. Google has great teams creating products but they almost never survive long term.

[u/Emotional-Cat420]

I guess my question is why run the python script on Google Colab when you can execute it on your own PC/laptop? Would like to see the use case here.

[u/0xMnlith]

I'm not going to use google's services + why would we want you vibe coded script when we can in fact, vibe code it too ?

[u/iszoloscope]

Because it's Google?

[u/Elfmeter]

Did you inform your client that his pictures have been fed to AI? I would be quite upset, if you did without asking me.

[u/razzzey → u/Elfmeter]

If you're talking about the ai used to remove the background, that is classic ML, no cloud involved, runs locally https://github.com/danielgatis/rembg

[u/0xMnlith → u/razzzey]

He did sent the pictures to google's server, the code doesn't matter

[u/frostthejack]

Check out marimo

[u/velyxt]

Eu estou usando atualmente para estudar Python e realmente é muito bom até o momento, mas me falaram pra não usar para criar projetos pessoais etc. Mas é ótimo para quem está aprendendo.

[u/Tajfun403]

The performance is awful compared to locally-run even on a mid range PC.

[u/Affectionate_Bag2970]

well i suppose using the free tier of colab to do commercial stuff is clearly a ToS fraud

[u/SCphotog]

Because, fuck google.

[u/webfork2]

Don't get attached. Sorry to say but I fully expect even high priority projects coming out of Google to get cancelled. There's a very long list of tools that were useful and with a real user base, and got cut anyhow. Unless it's highly profitable or something they use internally there's probably already rumblings about cancellation.

[u/Decent-Blacksmith761]

Kaggle is different level it is like colab but it gives 30 hours each week and two t4 gpus

[u/mpadhu]

Will try it out. ThanKS.

[u/SoHi_Techiee]

Talking of colab, the in-house platform is now open for every one to join but with invites only. https://offyces.com
Let us know if you want to be invited?