[Faterson]

Originally Posted by SharonK

Using Dropbox, your entire Calibre folder goes into it; is this the way it happens with SugarSync?

SugarSync is even smarter than Dropbox in this regard: it lets you just specify any folder from your computer that should be mirrored in SugarSync. So, you need to change absolutely nothing: you simply instruct SugarSync to monitor your Calibre "Books" folder, and that's it!

For the record: I prefer Dropbox over SugarSync for high-priority syncing, because overall, Dropbox seems more reliable/faster to me than SugarSync, but for syncing books, I have found SugarSync perfect.

Originally Posted by SharonK

I worry about the folder not being backed up, and losing my Calibre library.

You can't possibly "lose" it, because it will still be available on the original computer. SugarSync will simply create a copy of everything online, so that you can easily access it using your iPad or iPhone -- that's it.

Also, SugarSync places a handy icon into your MacBook status bar, so that you can see at a glance if all your books are backed up or not. And they are, 99.99% of the time.

Originally Posted by SharonK

And, I assume, that you have a limited amount of space, with SugarSync, and using more forces you to pay for it. I'm trying to avoid paying for that as I'm now on a fixed income.

Yes, one (not so) fine day, we may run out of free space in our Dropbox or SugarSync. I'm not thinking about it for now, while I still have free space left. When the time comes to pay for one of these services, I'll probably go with Dropbox. $10 per month for 100 gigabytes isn't going to ruin me financially.

Originally Posted by SharonK

I now understand about adding a password, but can't figure out how to do that.

You don't need to use a password to protect your Calibre server, if you don't run your Calibre server constantly. And why would you run it constantly, if all content will be available to you via SugarSync or Dropbox? For the few occasions on which I find it useful to start the Calibre server, I don't think I need to set up a password for those brief moments. Essentially, you never need to run the Calibre server, if you mirror Calibre in SugarSync or Dropbox.

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I just downloaded Dropbox. I'll add my library soon. Any suggestions on adding my Calibre library?

You simply instruct Calibre to put its main "Books" folder, where all of its library is, into Drobpox. That's it.

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Should I have separate folders for different genres?

Nope, leave everything as is. Just put the single "Books" folder, where Calibre stores everything, into Dropbox. Inside that folder, authors will be sorted in sub-folders -- one writer, one folder. Inside each such folder, each work by the writer gets a separate folder. One work -- one folder.

Then, on the iPad or iPhone, you can access your Calibre folders either using the Dropbox app, or if you prefer to use the Dropbox feature in Marvin, Marvin will automatically list 1000 of your books from Dropbox for you. (And you can filter the search results, to quickly find the book/writer you're looking for.)

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

What is this about a password?

No password needed, other than for accessing your Dropbox account.

If anything is unclear, just ask.