Dropbox - A Neat Sync App For Windows And Linux

If you work with multiple machines at multiple places or if you need to instantly share files between your colleagues or friends then Dropbox can become a life saver for you . I use dropbox for a lot of reasons too . Firstly incase i need to send a person any file i just drop the file into the dropbox public folder and give him an instant link to the file , its much more easier than logging into gmail and composing an email and attaching the file . Also , i use dropbox as a instant backup for all my small but important files , i dont use dropbox for huge files though . Also dropbox can be used to sync files with my friends . I also use it to sync files between my laptop and my desktop . There are a lot more uses for dropbox and each person can find his/her own unique use for it . So here's more on dropbox :

Since you have an idea of what dropbox really does , i think its definetly worth it for you to try . I find dropbox very fast , i mean its sync speed is just fantastic . As soon as i drop a file into dropbox , the file gets synced to all the other computers immediately . It's not like it looks for updates once in 5 or 10 min , it does it instantly which is what i like about it . Also it has a web interface which allows you to view those files remotely from any computer in the world by using your browser . You just login and you get the list of files . Also dropbox has a sort of recycle bin , so you can undo anything you deleted and bring it back , again awesome feature . And as mentioned earlier , you can share a particular folder with a certain friend , so whatever you put in that folder will be synced with his/her computer and vice versa.

Apart from this there are a lot more features , which you will realize automatically once you start using it . So here's how you set it up :

Step 1 : Firstly , visit THIS LINK and download the appropriate version of dropbox depending on your Operating System.I had to choose the ubuntu 9.04 version

Step 2 : Then you will get you a .deb file on your desktop ( for windows users it would be an .exe file )

Step 3 : Then open that file which is on your desktop and install it.

Step 4 : This would start the ACTUAL dropbox installation . The following screenshots should guide you.




Step 5 : Now , you need to create a new dropbox account by filling the form as shown


Step 6 : Then you login and choose your plan . The 2gb plan is FREE , the others cost

Step 7 : Thats it , once you hit the FINISH button , you will have your dropbox folder . You can choose where to place the dropbox folder if you wish or you can let dropbox decide.






This is how a sample dropbox folder looks like




By default you should have a PUBLIC folder . This folder helps in sharing files with your friends etc who dont have a dropbox account . Just place a file in that folder , right click on it and COPY PUBLIC LINK . then send this link to your friend and he will be able to download that file.


Right click on the dropbox icon on top and you should be able to select the dropbox interface


Here is where you can see all your files , you can use this interface to access your files from anywhere in the world using a web browser

There is a recent events tab which shows you all recent events

You can even Create a new shared folder and share it exclusively with a particular friend or a group of friends . Just create a new folder and enter the email ids of your friends . I created a shared folder called prashshare.


Here are a few screenshots on how dropbox alerts you as soon as any file is updated or removed etc by another person who your sharing a folder with



FINAL WORDS
On the whole , i really like dropbox . I believe there are a lot of such similar services but i prefer dropbox for its simple and easy to use interface . I use dropbox extensively especially now a days . I think its a must have software if you have multiple machines or you constantly find yourself opening gmail and attaching a file while chatting with someone :) .