Better backup, syncing, and sharing

August 4th, 2008

Ahhh…that day has finally come! I just got my Dropbox invite for the linux alpha :)

Get Dropbox icon

I have been using Dropbox on my Mac for a few months now—it’s fantastic! There are three features that the service offers: backup, syncing, and sharing. It is the second feature, syncing, that I am most impressed with. Any file inside the Dropbox folder is continuously synced with the server. Every time I change the file Dropbox quietly and adroitly sends the changes, and only the changes, to the server.

But the real point I want to share with this post is this. Now, with my Mac and Linux systems synced to one Dropbox account, I can quickly share files across systems. In term of productivity there is nothing better. It all happens automagically. I edit files on my Ubuntu MacBook laptop at night. In the morning I log into either Ubuntu or Leopard on my iMac at work and my files are in sync. Brilliant!

Dropbox alpha running in Nautilus in Ubuntu 8.04 Linux

And as an added benefit the Dropbox guys have provided a web interface to all the files and folders that are synced with the system. Using the web interface I can:

  • Browse all my files and folders
  • View any file’s history
  • Restore any file to an older version
  • Upload new files
  • Control sharing preferences for any folder
  • Download entire folders as .zip archives

The Dropbox web interface. This is the home screen showing the most recent uploads and file syncing activity.

For those Linux users who have never heard of Dropbox you should check out this simple request for a linux version. As of this writing it has 910 posts! What started as a simple question, posted about 6 months ago, has ballooned into a massive rallying cry (or perhaps I should say poetry contest?) that the developers have brilliantly answered. The world now has a very functional backup/sync/share solution that just works, all humble and quite-like, on Linux, Mac, and Windows.


Dropbox is still in closed beta, so the only way to get in on the goodness is to be invited. I have 8 invitations left, so let me know in the comments if you want one :)

Posted in Personal, Productivity, Technology | 17 Comments »

17 Responses to “Better backup, syncing, and sharing”

  1. Vadim P. Says:
    August 4th, 2008 at 9:08 pm

    Pleeease!

  2. René Says:
    August 5th, 2008 at 3:04 am

    Great stuff, very great! Thx. But as a long-time linux user there are some questions left:

    1. How much does or will it cost?
    2. How much disk space?
    3. Is the client software open source?
    4. Is the connection between client and server encrypted?
    5. Are the file on the server stored encrypted?
    6. Is it possible to get the server software to install it on an own server?

    I think they are using open source software/protocols (perhaps subversion, rsync, webdav …). So there is no reason to close it for the community. I don’t want to use this service for private but also for business data. That’s the reason why I asked for buying the server software to get it installed on an own server.

    So, the software and the usability are great. But there is some more space to bring it to perfection. ;-)

  3. Steve George Says:
    August 5th, 2008 at 4:36 am

    Hi,

    I’d be interested in an invitation if you’ve got any left!

    Thanks!

    Steve

  4. Peter Fradley Says:
    August 5th, 2008 at 4:43 am

    Hi, Great article I have really been enjoying the whole series. Thanks very much.

    I’d love an invite to check out dropbox if you have any left.

    Thanks
    Peter

  5. brian t Says:
    August 5th, 2008 at 5:19 am

    This sounds like a marvellous idea in general. I have a few security niggles, but since it’s not trying to share all your files – only those in the Dropbox folder – I think it’ll be OK. I could use Dropbox for syncing files between home and university, where it will be web only, no client installation. Please, sir, my I have an invitation? 8)

  6. Vieri del Bianco Says:
    August 5th, 2008 at 5:41 am

    Seems really interesting!

    Please, could you invite me? (delbian1970@yahoo.it)

    Thanks

  7. Vadim P. Says:
    August 5th, 2008 at 7:27 am

    Thanks, I signed up okay. But do you have a link for the linux version? I can’t find it.

  8. Weyman M. Says:
    August 5th, 2008 at 7:48 am

    Thank you! May I have another?

  9. admin Says:
    August 5th, 2008 at 11:06 am

    Regarding the Linux client I am not sure how to get it other than letting them know in the Linux thread here.

    The Linux version is still in an alpha stage, so it is not available to all the beta testers until they feel it is beta-worthy. But the developers have been rather responsive in getting the alpha out to those who ask for it in the forum.

  10. Steven Says:
    August 6th, 2008 at 5:45 pm

    Invite please! :)

  11. Karthik Says:
    August 7th, 2008 at 1:16 am

    Hi,

    Invite please… I have been dying to get my ubuntu systems synced easily.

  12. NZJon Says:
    August 7th, 2008 at 5:02 am

    Hi there! Any chance of a Dropbox invite? Thanks,

    Jon

  13. brian t Says:
    August 7th, 2008 at 6:42 pm

    Thank you for the invite – I have it set up and working with my Windows box. As for the Linux client, well, I hope it gets to beta soon, I have an eeePC 901 on order…

  14. Patrick Says:
    August 23rd, 2008 at 2:54 am

    Any invites left? Would love to sync my HP subnotebook running ubuntu with my mac running osx 10.5

  15. nick Says:
    August 28th, 2008 at 2:40 pm

    Hello, If you have any linux alpha invites left I would be forever grateful for one! :)

    Thanks,

    nick

  16. G Says:
    August 31st, 2008 at 11:29 am

    I’d love an invite if you have any left. Thanks!

  17. Peng’s links for Wednesday, 6 August and a Gmail tip « I’m Just an Avatar Says:
    December 24th, 2009 at 12:16 pm

    [...] Productivity: Better backup, syncing, and sharing. Windows and Mac users know about the Dropbox service but Linux users have been left out in the [...]

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