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So what's the advantage of Dropbox over FTP? Seriously. I have only used it for sharing large files. What else good is it?

1123581321 9y ago
* "It just works" folder syncing (not every FTP client does this, none as well as Dropbox) you can get nearly any colleague or family member using * Very good online file sharing UI * And no need to run and secure an FTP server
SOLAR_FIELDS 9y ago
The advantage is that Brenda from accounting is capable of using it without too much trouble.
rtpg 9y ago
seamless integration with loads of apps (especially on mobile). Lets you build a "cloud" feature into apps without actually needing servers. It's not super useful for big stuff, but nice if you're trying to write stuff just for yourself.
TheAceOfHearts 9y ago
Just FYI: instant.io [0] is a nice tool for sharing large files. It uses web torrent, so data can flow directly between you and the recipient. [0] https://instant.io https://instant.io
Nition 9y ago
If you use a cloud-based drive locally, it's reduced to the speed of your internet connection. If you use a local copy, you have to set up something to sync it with the cloud version, or sync it manually. Dropbox keeps a local copy for speed, and also syncs automatically. It's the best of both worlds. It's also easy to use. It also keeps a file version history.
djhworld 9y ago
It removes a whole number of barriers to get access to your files, no mounting network drives, no logging into FTP servers, it's just there and works with your local filesystem. It's especially useful if you use multiple devices
erikb 9y ago
I don't know why people downvote such a reasonable question. Reasons are: 1. You just install the client and it works. 2. The files are backed up, while your ftp solution might not be. 3. Your space can grow depending on disk prices without you doing anything for it. 4. A lot of possible merge conflicts between different computers are automatically merged by their smart tooling.

1123581321 9y ago

* "It just works" folder syncing (not every FTP client does this, none as well as Dropbox) you can get nearly any colleague or family member using * Very good online file sharing UI * And no need to run and secure an FTP server

SOLAR_FIELDS 9y ago

The advantage is that Brenda from accounting is capable of using it without too much trouble.

rtpg 9y ago

seamless integration with loads of apps (especially on mobile). Lets you build a "cloud" feature into apps without actually needing servers. It's not super useful for big stuff, but nice if you're trying to write stuff just for yourself.

TheAceOfHearts 9y ago

Just FYI: instant.io [0] is a nice tool for sharing large files. It uses web torrent, so data can flow directly between you and the recipient. [0] https://instant.io https://instant.io

Nition 9y ago

If you use a cloud-based drive locally, it's reduced to the speed of your internet connection. If you use a local copy, you have to set up something to sync it with the cloud version, or sync it manually. Dropbox keeps a local copy for speed, and also syncs automatically. It's the best of both worlds. It's also easy to use. It also keeps a file version history.

djhworld 9y ago

It removes a whole number of barriers to get access to your files, no mounting network drives, no logging into FTP servers, it's just there and works with your local filesystem. It's especially useful if you use multiple devices

erikb 9y ago

I don't know why people downvote such a reasonable question. Reasons are: 1. You just install the client and it works. 2. The files are backed up, while your ftp solution might not be. 3. Your space can grow depending on disk prices without you doing anything for it. 4. A lot of possible merge conflicts between different computers are automatically merged by their smart tooling.