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Hacker News on Dropbox: Why would anyone want this? I can do this already with my home PC, all I need to do is install package xyz and let it run in the backgro

Hacker News on Dropbox: Why would anyone want this? I can do this already with my home PC, all I need to do is install package xyz and let it run in the background. How does this handle duplicates, this is doomed to fail.

hnriot 13y ago
Dropbox is for people that can't use rsync+git. For the unix-competent, it's not particularly difficult and we managed for many years with the previous tools, rsync+svn or even rsync+cvs
- visakanv 13y ago
  so basically everyone except a small niche group
- 8bitpony 13y ago
  Guess what? There are millions of people that can't use rsync + git.
  - ams6110 13y ago
    And they don't read HN either, for the most part. You're not getting anything like a cross-section of opinion of the population here, on any topic. I'm among those who don't see any need for Dropbox, but readily admit that obviously millions of others do.
  - toomuchtodo 13y ago
    And they're all willing to pay ~$10/month for it to Just Fucking Work. Build things that solve people's problems.
    - bruceboughton 13y ago
      Dropbox is free for the vast majority of people.
    - xerophtye 13y ago
      That's only if you need MORE storage. Heck i am happy with my data limit, and yes, the major attraction is the "Just Fucking Works" part. Its the usability factor. Just cuz you CAN write your own web browser, doesn't mean you wouldn't use firefox or chrome
- wpietri 13y ago
  I can use rsync and git, and use it for some things. But I'm perfectly happy to use Dropbox too. I like it because it Just Fucking Works on every platform I'm on. The way I look at it, I've got limited time. I can spend it fucking around duplicating infrastructure, or I can spend it on something that matters more to me.
- sanderjd 13y ago
  Yeah I really miss the good old days when I could take some pictures and all I had to do to send them to my mom was provision a server with a static IP address I could send her along with some links to rsync tutorials. Can't believe Dropbox had to come around and make everything so much harder...
  - esusatyo 13y ago
    I'm not sure which one is sarcasm anymore.
  - eric_the_read 13y ago
    Don't be silly, all you had to do was just install and configure Apache, and then harden it against 37 types of DOS and malware intrusions and SQL injection.
- Dylan16807 13y ago
  Rsync is one-way. Git stores all files twice, and is a pain to purge old versions from. Both require scanning every file per sync, leading to wasted power and minutes of latency. They do not do what dropbox does.
- fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
  And for people who have to communicate with people who can't/won't/don't use rsync+git.
EricDeb 13y ago
The comment he's referring to is one of my all-time favorites.
- esusatyo 13y ago
  Here's the original Dropbox thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 I really enjoy reading Hacker News from time to time. It really reminds me how far removed we are from the actual customers.
MaysonL 13y ago
Hell, CmdrTaco on iPod...
- icebraining 13y ago
  It should be noted that CmdrTaco never said his opinion applied to most people. He thought it was lame, and to him, it was.
  - code_duck 13y ago
    Reviewers and journalists are held responsible for their opinions to a greater degree than people operating purely as individuals. Cmdr Taco said it was lame, and some people were relying on him to have an informed opinion - and he felt this opinion was well founded enough to broadcast it to thousands of people.
    - icebraining 13y ago
      He was neither a reviewer (the product was not even available) nor a journalist. And his opinion was well founded. The iPad didn't have wireless, it did have less space than a Nomad, and "lame" is pure personal opinion. That post is always trotted out (particularly on HN) as an example of how normal "nerds" are so disconnected from the general public, but what it ignores is that not everyone cares about what the general public will buy. Not everyone is a startup founder looking to sell gadgets to Average Joe. Some of us are just looking from the perspective of our own lives, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that. Guess what: for CmdrTaco, and probably for many on Slashdot, the iPod was a crappy player. Deal with it.
      - code_duck 13y ago
        You've missed the entire point of that example, which is that the iPod turned out to be a 500 billion dollar smash hit that turned apple from a doomed company to one of the top 3 tech companies of the 00s and 10s.
    - Crito 13y ago
nemof 13y ago
I really feel like amazon's service should be called dropbox too.
repnescasb 13y ago
Me on dropbox today: Why would anyone want this? seriously. Sure, the mob uses it, but they also use facebook, skype and whatsapp ... and soon they get their christmal gifts delivered by santa's little drones
Semaphor 13y ago
This feels like a HN myth. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 First top level comment is positive, 2nd says we don't need it, following are again more positive comments. 99% of the thread are positive, most negative comments are regarding presentation.
- Shamanmuni 13y ago
  I agree with you, it's a myth, there's just one comment which is similar to what the parent states, and his objection about not solving the connectivity issue is completely valid. I still use a pendrive in case there's no internet connection. Most of them are congratulations. What most people don't notice is that many votes don't necesarily mean "everybody agrees with him/her". Many times I have upvoted comments with which I didn't agree but I thought were well reasoned and had validity because I think those comments improve the conversation. On the other hand, I could agree with comments stating "Great work guys!" but I wouldn't vote them as they offer little to no substance.

hnriot 13y ago

Dropbox is for people that can't use rsync+git. For the unix-competent, it's not particularly difficult and we managed for many years with the previous tools, rsync+svn or even rsync+cvs

visakanv 13y ago
so basically everyone except a small niche group
8bitpony 13y ago
Guess what? There are millions of people that can't use rsync + git.
- ams6110 13y ago
  And they don't read HN either, for the most part. You're not getting anything like a cross-section of opinion of the population here, on any topic. I'm among those who don't see any need for Dropbox, but readily admit that obviously millions of others do.
- toomuchtodo 13y ago
  And they're all willing to pay ~$10/month for it to Just Fucking Work. Build things that solve people's problems.
  - bruceboughton 13y ago
    Dropbox is free for the vast majority of people.
  - xerophtye 13y ago
    That's only if you need MORE storage. Heck i am happy with my data limit, and yes, the major attraction is the "Just Fucking Works" part. Its the usability factor. Just cuz you CAN write your own web browser, doesn't mean you wouldn't use firefox or chrome
wpietri 13y ago
I can use rsync and git, and use it for some things. But I'm perfectly happy to use Dropbox too. I like it because it Just Fucking Works on every platform I'm on. The way I look at it, I've got limited time. I can spend it fucking around duplicating infrastructure, or I can spend it on something that matters more to me.
sanderjd 13y ago
Yeah I really miss the good old days when I could take some pictures and all I had to do to send them to my mom was provision a server with a static IP address I could send her along with some links to rsync tutorials. Can't believe Dropbox had to come around and make everything so much harder...
- esusatyo 13y ago
  I'm not sure which one is sarcasm anymore.
- eric_the_read 13y ago
  Don't be silly, all you had to do was just install and configure Apache, and then harden it against 37 types of DOS and malware intrusions and SQL injection.
Dylan16807 13y ago
Rsync is one-way. Git stores all files twice, and is a pain to purge old versions from. Both require scanning every file per sync, leading to wasted power and minutes of latency. They do not do what dropbox does.
fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
And for people who have to communicate with people who can't/won't/don't use rsync+git.

EricDeb 13y ago

The comment he's referring to is one of my all-time favorites.

esusatyo 13y ago
Here's the original Dropbox thread: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 I really enjoy reading Hacker News from time to time. It really reminds me how far removed we are from the actual customers.

MaysonL 13y ago

Hell, CmdrTaco on iPod...

icebraining 13y ago
It should be noted that CmdrTaco never said his opinion applied to most people. He thought it was lame, and to him, it was.
- code_duck 13y ago
  Reviewers and journalists are held responsible for their opinions to a greater degree than people operating purely as individuals. Cmdr Taco said it was lame, and some people were relying on him to have an informed opinion - and he felt this opinion was well founded enough to broadcast it to thousands of people.
  - icebraining 13y ago
    He was neither a reviewer (the product was not even available) nor a journalist. And his opinion was well founded. The iPad didn't have wireless, it did have less space than a Nomad, and "lame" is pure personal opinion. That post is always trotted out (particularly on HN) as an example of how normal "nerds" are so disconnected from the general public, but what it ignores is that not everyone cares about what the general public will buy. Not everyone is a startup founder looking to sell gadgets to Average Joe. Some of us are just looking from the perspective of our own lives, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that. Guess what: for CmdrTaco, and probably for many on Slashdot, the iPod was a crappy player. Deal with it.
    - code_duck 13y ago
      You've missed the entire point of that example, which is that the iPod turned out to be a 500 billion dollar smash hit that turned apple from a doomed company to one of the top 3 tech companies of the 00s and 10s.
  - Crito 13y ago

nemof 13y ago

I really feel like amazon's service should be called dropbox too.

repnescasb 13y ago

Me on dropbox today: Why would anyone want this? seriously. Sure, the mob uses it, but they also use facebook, skype and whatsapp ... and soon they get their christmal gifts delivered by santa's little drones

Semaphor 13y ago

This feels like a HN myth. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863 First top level comment is positive, 2nd says we don't need it, following are again more positive comments. 99% of the thread are positive, most negative comments are regarding presentation.

Shamanmuni 13y ago
I agree with you, it's a myth, there's just one comment which is similar to what the parent states, and his objection about not solving the connectivity issue is completely valid. I still use a pendrive in case there's no internet connection. Most of them are congratulations. What most people don't notice is that many votes don't necesarily mean "everybody agrees with him/her". Many times I have upvoted comments with which I didn't agree but I thought were well reasoned and had validity because I think those comments improve the conversation. On the other hand, I could agree with comments stating "Great work guys!" but I wouldn't vote them as they offer little to no substance.