4 ms·

I don't understand this either, it's a commodity and everyone is doing it now. They don't seem to have special patents. I use Ubuntu One for example (5GB free)

by sek 15y ago

I don't understand this either, it's a commodity and everyone is doing it now. They don't seem to have special patents. I use Ubuntu One for example (5GB free) and there will be Google Drive soon. Even when you count out the cloud future, how can Dropbox stay competitive against Google's infrastructure? They have peering contracts and their own servers.

stfu 15y ago
Is there actually any of the services offering a client based encryption? So far I am using Dropbox only for exchanging pdfs and other non-personal stuff.
- atomical 15y ago
  I think Bitcasa may fit the bill. They are in beta. I haven't received my invite yet, complain, complain.
  - cahuk 15y ago
    I agree. Bitcasa will be a big player. One of the advantage Bitcasa has over Dropbox right now is that it can show the versions of your file right from the app. You don't have to go to the web. And we even didn't speak about pricing. I didn't try Bitcasa yet since I got today an invitation.
- sek 15y ago
  Wuala. It's not that convenient, but that's the tradeoff when you want client side encryption.
  - seltzered_ 15y ago
    I've been relatively happy with using wuala to sync directories. My only gripe so far has been the android client seems to keep everything as temporary.
lelele 15y ago
What does Apple do? Sell computers and smartphones. Everyone is doing it, but they do it differently, which for many people means better. What does Google do? Web search. Someone else is doing it, but they just do it better.
- adgar 15y ago
  And what makes those companies so successful in those areas is that it is very difficult to replicate what they do. It is not as difficult to replicate what Dropbox does, as noted by what your parent poster said.
  - lelele 15y ago
    Is it that difficult to replicate what Apple does, provided that you have enough resources? I don't think so. But, still, companies fail to do so. Yes, what Dropbox does right now does not add up to much, but if they keep expanding their usefulness they could end up reaching a critical mass. Dropbox' business is not a niche: everyone needs effortless backups and file sharing. Everyone. Tomorrow they could be a major cloud storage company indeed.
    - adgar 15y ago
      > Is it that difficult to replicate what Apple does, provided that you have enough resources? I don't think so. But, still, companies fail to do so. Replicating Apple's brand/image is what's hard. That brand has taken years of focusing on Apple's/Steve Jobs's particular style of doing business and building products. We see people trying now to replicate that, but it took Apple all of the 2000s to get its brand to where it is.
      - deleted 15y ago
        [deleted]
      - lelele 15y ago
        I agree. But how many companies do you see really focusing on their image and consumer experience? I used to be a fan of Nokia mobile phones and their ease of use, but as I upgraded to a Nokia 5800 I was disappointed, and lost my faith in that brand.

by sek 15y ago

stfu 15y ago

Is there actually any of the services offering a client based encryption? So far I am using Dropbox only for exchanging pdfs and other non-personal stuff.

atomical 15y ago
I think Bitcasa may fit the bill. They are in beta. I haven't received my invite yet, complain, complain.
- cahuk 15y ago
  I agree. Bitcasa will be a big player. One of the advantage Bitcasa has over Dropbox right now is that it can show the versions of your file right from the app. You don't have to go to the web. And we even didn't speak about pricing. I didn't try Bitcasa yet since I got today an invitation.
sek 15y ago
Wuala. It's not that convenient, but that's the tradeoff when you want client side encryption.
- seltzered_ 15y ago
  I've been relatively happy with using wuala to sync directories. My only gripe so far has been the android client seems to keep everything as temporary.

lelele 15y ago

What does Apple do? Sell computers and smartphones. Everyone is doing it, but they do it differently, which for many people means better. What does Google do? Web search. Someone else is doing it, but they just do it better.

adgar 15y ago
And what makes those companies so successful in those areas is that it is very difficult to replicate what they do. It is not as difficult to replicate what Dropbox does, as noted by what your parent poster said.
- lelele 15y ago
  Is it that difficult to replicate what Apple does, provided that you have enough resources? I don't think so. But, still, companies fail to do so. Yes, what Dropbox does right now does not add up to much, but if they keep expanding their usefulness they could end up reaching a critical mass. Dropbox' business is not a niche: everyone needs effortless backups and file sharing. Everyone. Tomorrow they could be a major cloud storage company indeed.
  - adgar 15y ago
    > Is it that difficult to replicate what Apple does, provided that you have enough resources? I don't think so. But, still, companies fail to do so. Replicating Apple's brand/image is what's hard. That brand has taken years of focusing on Apple's/Steve Jobs's particular style of doing business and building products. We see people trying now to replicate that, but it took Apple all of the 2000s to get its brand to where it is.
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]
    - lelele 15y ago
      I agree. But how many companies do you see really focusing on their image and consumer experience? I used to be a fan of Nokia mobile phones and their ease of use, but as I upgraded to a Nokia 5800 I was disappointed, and lost my faith in that brand.