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That's the thing though, how many "grandmas and grandpas" really need a file sharing service for blobs of data? There already exists "better" solutions to share
by hackinthebochs 13y ago
That's the thing though, how many "grandmas and grandpas" really need a file sharing service for blobs of data? There already exists "better" solutions to share common file types: flickr/picasa for images, youtube for video, email for word documents, etc. The vast majority of people simply don't need an arbitrary file hosting service. Somehow they've managed to convince people they do.
On the other hand, if you give something away for free that seems to have value, people will flock to it regardless of need. I'm curious if dropbox is actually profitable. I know of many people who use dropbox that I wouldn't have thought would even have heard of it. But not a single one of them pays for it. Perhaps what we're attributing to success is simply a company being sustained by the VC bubble. Even in the face of the "success" of dropbox I don't see the service in its current incarnation being self-sustainable.
- giulianob 13y agoGrandmas and grandpas is a bit extreme. Just about anyone I know uses Dropbox nowadays because it's just simpler than the alternative. I even use it to share files w/ my wife when we're in the same house. I have a SMB share that I use for some things but when I have to send my wife some pictures I just put them in our shared Dropbox. It's easier and she can access it later on her phone too even. Convenience is a very important factor.
- iskander 13y agoMy grandfather interviews holocaust survivors and helps make small books of their stories. I set up a dropbox account for him to share transcripts of the interviews, and now he uses it along with the other volunteers. A half dozen retirees, with minimal computer skills, barely able to read English, all happily using dropbox. That really impressed me.