Dropbox limits free accounts to 3 devices

[DiapDealer]

To no one in particular:

Utilizing online storage providers, or services like DropBox/Google Drive, or online backup providers is not the same thing as trusting--or depending--on them. I use many of them simply because it's convenient for me to do so; nothing more. Please don't presume to be the only soul knowledgeable enough to "internet" wisely, or correctly. It's condescending and unnecessary.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by haertig

The whole purpose of these cloud services is to sync devices so they all have the most up to date copy of your files. Taking away the ability to sync, and saying "use a browser instead", turns their cloud service into ... an ordinary website. Nothing wrong with websites, we've been using them for a long time. But they're not like a cloud service.

You've heard the saying, "One foot in the grave" (", and the other on a banana peel")? It looks like Dropbox just made a trip to the supermarket to buy the bananas. Their company is not long for this Earth IMHO. Much like PhotoBucket. I'm not sure it's the smartest business decision to lure customers in with free access, then later try to hold them hostage until they pay up.

That's the main reason why I never used DropBox, and set up my own cloud instead. I predicted this would be coming way back when. And I also predict that in the future there will be zero free devices allowed, it will be a 100% paid service. If they have any customers left by then.

Depending on online storage for your stuff is not a great decision IMHO. Not online backup services. Not DropBox like services. Not photo hosting services. Not eBook retailers who say they'll "keep all your books for you". You can USE these services for convenience, but don't DEPEND on them. You and you alone are responsible for storing and backing up your stuff. Use these services as a backup system, for convenience. Never as primary storage though.

In general, free isn't a good long term business model. I've had a paid dropbox account for a while. I also pay for extra storage on iCloud. I'm a belt and suspenders sort of guy, so I like having a number of copies of things like my photos, music and ebooks in different places. Each person has different needs, though.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Utilizing online storage providers, or services like DropBox/Google Drive, or online backup providers is not the same thing as trusting--or depending--on them.

Isn't that exactly what I said?

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by haertig

Isn't that exactly what I said?

No, it isn't.

[haertig]

Since more than one person appears offended by my warning not to put all your eggs in one basket online, could someone please tell me why that warning is so offensive? I offered it in good faith.

I had a friend who lost a bunch of their photos with the PhotoBucket thing. Uploaded them, then his local harddrive failed, and he had no other backups. Then PhotoBucket changed their business model and wanted $100's of dollars to re-activate access to his pictures.

I see the same thing potentially happening with DropBox here. Which is why I said "USE but don't DEPEND" on services like this. DropBox is not there yet, but it's moving in that direction.

Can someone tell me why it was offensive to point out these potential issues? I honestly don't understand. BTW, my friend (R.I.P.) was not an idiot, he was a highly respected and acknowledged engineer. Even smart people can make mistakes.

[Deskisamess]

Can someone tell me why it was offensive to point out these potential issues? I honestly don't understand.

For me it is the air of superiority with which you posted. The "I" "I" "I" in your post made it come off very high-handed.

There is nothing offensive about reminding people that they carry the responsibility of protecting their data. It's a good reminder for knowledgeable users and for newbies.
It's the underlying attitude that came across in the post.

[radius]

Count me as another who runs a cloud file store in my basement (Seafile in my case). But having tried Dropbox, Box, Onedrive and Google Drive in the past, the clear winner in terms of sync is Dropbox. In my usage they are the most reliable, have the best client, good upload speed, and have the best linked services. Unfortunately, they also offer the least amount of free space.

[DiapDealer]

Can someone tell me why it was offensive to point out these potential issues?

Not offensive. Merely a tad annoying.

Sorry. The previous "I predicted this would happen way back when" just came off a little "I know better" to me. Plus you're only the forty millionth person to offer this particular advice around here.

I meant it when I said "to no one in particular." You just happened to be last person who said something similar. Basically, it's all been said before. Those who actually need the advice aren't ready to accept it (or understand it), and those who understand perfectly well how it all works get tired of hearing others constantly preach to the choir. *shrug*

Sorry it took you aback that unsolicited technical advice (in good faith or not) is not always welcomed by the world at large. I've learned to wait until people ask me for my opinion on if (or how) they should use a particular service before giving it.

[haertig]

I will try not to use first person so much when I post in the future. And I'll not try to use personal insight and experiences to reinforce a point I am making. That was not meant to be condescending, it was meant to offer support that I do have experience in many of these things and I'm not just talking off the top of my head. Nor did I realize that I was preaching to the choir. I made the assumption, apparently invalid, that the people here pretty much matched the composition of the general population. In other words, "not very technically competent". I hate to say that, but it's true of the general population at large.

Thanks - appreciate the comments.

[DiapDealer]

I wasn't posting in any kind of official capacity, so don't feel you need to change your style based on my comments. You posted, I responded. It's all good as long as we're not angry.

[Deskisamess]

I made the assumption, apparently invalid, that the people here pretty much matched the composition of the general population. In other words, "not very technically competent". I hate to say that, but it's true of the general population at large.

Really? Not very technically compentent? These forums?

I'd have said the complete opposite. I've been around online forums since 1994, and this is by far the most technically advanced group of users I've ever come across or had the privilege to be a part of. Even if someone rarely posts, the wide spectrum of knowledge available here to read and learn from is amazing.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Really? Not very technically compentent? These forums?

Well, you did spell competent wrong. Sorry, couldn't resist the irony of the typo. Just joking...

No insult intended in my original technical assumption though. My point was, this forum is dedicated to reading. Which IMHO, is not a technical activity. So while the users here may indeed be technically astute for a non-technical forum, I would not assume that means they are technical people (in the sense of system administrators, networking experts, security experts, application design engineers, etc.) That's all I was saying. I should not have chosen the word "competent", my thoughts would have been better expressed as "not very technically inclined".

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by haertig

My point was, this forum is dedicated to reading. Which IMHO, is not a technical activity.

Well technically... this forum is dedicated to e-reading. On whizzbang doohickies, to boot.

The devices/apps are the main draw. Hence all the sub-forums for them (though of course enjoying reading factors in hugely). There's really only a handful of threads dedicated to the actual reading of books around here. The rest is how to get device/app X to do Y.

[haertig]

Point taken.

I will now give up on "technically competent" and "technically inclined". I can't seem to get my thoughts across accurately. I'll just substitute by saying that the average run of the mill generic person is "technically abc". The average user on MobileRead is probably more like "technically "ABc". And some MobileRead users, like Kovid, are "technically ABCDEFGHIJKLM..."

[GlennD]

I have to say I've been very happy with paying for the Dropbox Plus service. Not only are my important files safe (including my calibre library!) but I've been able to share scanned photos with the whole family. I have all of my parents' and grandparents' photos, and it's been simple for my siblings and cousins to have access to them.

I have some redundancy in my storage at home, but I ever have a catastrophic loss there, at least my most important files are safe. My oldest daughter also has the password in case something were to happen to my wife and I. I'm not critiquing anyone's budget decisions, but I know that for me the peace of mind has been great and well worth it to have the full 1TB.