Dropbox 1.0 Finally Released 307
Zack writes "Dropbox has finally released version 1.0. The new version comes with hundreds of bug fixes, including invalid file names on Windows, weird Unicode normalizations, Word and Excel file locking, abnormal symlinks hierarchies, and case sensitive file systems on Mac. It also adds TrueCrypt support, a Rainbow Shell that offers support for extended attributes, selective sync, a new installation wizard, and reduces resource usage."
Re:Dropbox folder (Score:5, Informative)
This isn't how Dropbox is really intended to function. The idea is that you keep a file structure as child to the drop box directory. Therefore, whenever you modify files within that hierarchy, they are automatically updated. I have my school and research directory as child to my dropbox directory and find it to be a god send.
Re:And what does it do? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:would be nice... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Dropbox folder (Score:5, Informative)
You can symlink instead of copying, no duplicate files and keeps your directory structure. I also set dropbox' folder to a hidden path: ~/.dropbox-sync, so it wont clutter my home.
Publisher's Description (Score:4, Informative)
Dropbox is the easiest way to store, sync and share your files online and between multiple computers.
Dropbox works just like any other folder on your computer, but with a few differences.
Here's how it works:
Your files are always safe. All data is transferred over SSL and encrypted with AES-256 before storage.
Dropbox keeps track of every change made to any of its contents. Any changes are instantly and automatically sent to any other computer linked to your Dropbox. The Dropbox clients for Windows, Mac and Linux all play nice with one another too!
Re:What is it? (Score:5, Informative)
Dropbox is several things at once, so I forgive your confusion :)
First, it's a cloudbased fileserver. You can upload your files and it will keep 2GB or more of them on the cloud (S3) for you to access. Not a big deal so far. If you pay money, you get much more space.
However, you can also give other people access to your files. And it will keep all the versions of your files. This is a bit more interesting.
THe real winner for me is that it's also a tool that you install on your PC or Mac or Linux machine. It will then use one folder (located under My Documents) and everything you store in there will be synced to the cloud. Version control and all. The tool will also inform you of any changes and if youre on a LAN with someone else whos syncing files, it will be synced to your PC directly.
Currently Im using DropBox to sync music files to a group of friends, and software updates to my customers who all have a link to a directory in the Dropbox directory.
However, the main thing I use it for is to sync ALL of my projectfiles with several other co-workers who only work on my project for a few days a week. One of them introduced me to DropBox. If anyone changes anything, I get a notification. Anyone makes an update you don't like, you can restore any previous version to any location you like. And it works without intruding, logs you on automatically and generally you don't even see it's there.
The onliest gripe I have is that you can't use TWO accounts, one for personal and another for business use, to link with the tool. And that all of the folders that you have a right to, are counted towards your total. So if a friend grants you access to his account and he stores 60 GB, you can still read but not upload anything else. Apart from that, it's a great utility.
What DropBox does (Score:5, Informative)
I hate sites that make you watch a video, instead of just telling your what they do. However, DropBox really is a very nice service, so here is what they should have said, in place of the video:
DropBox is a file synchronization service. Install it on multiple computers, and synchronize your files automatically. The files are also accessible directly from the DropBox website, in case you need access from third-party computer.
Here is what it does: You select a folder on your computer that should be automatically synchronized online. Any changes made to files in this folder are - at the next opportunity - sent to your DropBox account. If you use multiple computers, put the DropBox service on all of them, and they are kept in sync. with each other. The Linux support is excellent, you can sync cross-platform (Linux/Windows), your files are encrypted, DropBox maintains previous versions for 30 days (with a paid account, previous versions are maintained forever). Most importantly, it "just works".
I tried a lot of different synchronization tools and services (Unison, JungleDisk, etc.). This is by far the best. Note: I have no connection with them - I am just a very happy customer.
Re:Dropbox folder (Score:5, Informative)
You can symlink instead of copying
Just to clarify, Dropbox does not recommend putting symlinks in the Dropbox folder itself. (When modified on another computer, it may get overwritten with just a normal file when re-synced, among other potential problems--I've had this problem with files, though I've had better luck with folders.)
Instead, move the folder (or file) to the Dropbox folder. Then, create a symlink to this location in the Dropbox folder at your desired original location. This is easy to do on Linux/OS X if you know the command line; on Windows NTFS, there is the DropboxFolderSync add on to ease the process, since NTFS links themselves are somewhat sketchy to deal with.
Re:What DropBox does (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Dropbox folder (Score:4, Informative)
Link Shell Extension makes it as easy to do as it is in linux, just right click in the right places and you're good to go. The only real trick is getting your head around the way they work.
And mobile devices... (Score:5, Informative)
THe real winner for me is that it's also a tool that you install on your PC or Mac or Linux machine.
Plus, clients for iPad/iPod, Android and Blackberry (along with basic access from anything that can download from the web).
Its about the easiest way to get files on and off an iPad - its a crying shame that Apple don't add "export to DropBox" to the mobile iWork Apps. Its very easy to use by (e.g.) people who would run a mile from rsync.
I've hit a few headaches when trying to use it for collaborative work - some may be addressed by the new file locking fixes, others have really been PEBKAC [wikipedia.org] which can't really be blamed on the software - e.g. person puts latest file in dropbox folder, emails everybody to say latest file is in dropbox, doesn't check that dropbox is actually connected and syncing...
There's a related issue for Macs in that, as far the Mac is concerned, the dropbox is a folder on your hard drive, so when you drag files in and out of there the default is to move, not copy - which is not usually what you want (especially when dragging files out).
An option to share "read only" would be nice...
DropBox alternative: SpiderOak (Score:4, Informative)
I am in no way affiliated with SiperOak, just a satisfied user. The only thing I worry about with SpiderOak and Dropbox is what kind of lifespan they have. Will they still be around in 5 - 10 years?