Mini Review of SugarSync and DropBox

[wraith808]

The thread from their website:

I'm on my 30 day trial, and this 'feature' may be a deal breaker. The iPhone app for SugarSync limits the size of the files you can view. This is potentially a deal breaker since one of my purposes of investing in this or DropBox was to view documents on the road. DropBox had no problem displaying the same document. I don't see why SugarSync would limit their iPhone app in the size of the document that you can view. (For the record, it was an rpg book- it was 40.3 MB, and they are regularly that size). If this limit is a hard one that can't be changed (or that you're not open to changing), then as much as I like SugarSync's features, if it can't handle my workflow, then I can't use it...

Thoughts?
   
   
Re: iPhone Document Size Limit
Posted on 4/25/2010 7:41 PM    
We put some final limit based on empirical data. It's possible that more recent versions of the iPhone system are more stable and with more free memory available for apps. We will make a change int he next release to just give you a warning and you will be on your own. Thanks for the feedback.

[JavaJones]

Quick feedback and changes. That's a good sign! 

- Oshyan

[J-Mac]

I can't say for sure but I believe that the disclaimers in both the Dropbox and SugarSync TOS's regarding copyright violations and IP issues is a standard thing that you will find on any hosting-type service that offers a "Public" folder option where other people will be able to freely access all files in it. They are trying to separate themselves from the liability issues of having copyrighted materials in "public" accessed folders.

You knew the lawyers would have their say, didn't you?! 

Jim

[wraith808]

I understand that on the public folders... but this part applies to private folders too (upload any files), and is the more troubling part.

You will only upload, post, submit or otherwise transmit data and/or files: (i) that you have the lawful right to use, copy, distribute, transmit, or display; or (ii) that does not infringe the intellectual property rights or violate the privacy rights of any third party (including, without limitation, copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other intellectual property right, or moral right or right of publicity). Dropbox has adopted and implemented a policy that permits the deletion of files that violate this policy, and that permits the termination in appropriate circumstances of the accounts of users who repeatedly infringe or are believed to be or are charged with repeatedly infringing the rights of copyright holders. Please see the Dropbox Copyright Policy for further information at http://www.dropbox.com/dmca.

And the fact that it's purely in their discretion, and unlike SugarSync can be done without someone filing a violation. 

[J-Mac]

I hadn't noticed that it was for private folders too. That is weird. I think I may ask them about it. I've had the premium subscription for two years now and didn't realize that. I don’t remember that being in the TOS when I studied it back at the start; I wonder if that was an amendment added later?

Thank you.

Jim

[wraith808]

It has been a little over a week, and I'm canceling my SugarSync account and opting for the full version of DropBox.  SugarSync has a lot of cool features, as I said.  But DropBox just works.

I've been trying to find out where I want folders, what folders I want to sync, and what kind of structure I want to have.  So that involves renaming folders, moving folders, etc.  As I said in my earlier post, I had a few hiccups with that.  But I just had my first major scare which would have been pretty catastrophic if I didn't have DropBox watching the same folder.  I was moving one of my document folders, and when I copied and pasted the folder, I guess because the folder already existed, SugarSync lost track of the folder and said it wasn't being synced.  There was just a blank folder where it was and my only option was to remove it.  I found out that it wasn't just the folder that was blank- SugarSync had actually deleted the files in the folder!  I checked on my desktop right after that, and lo and behold, they were gone from there too.  And though I've been pretty careful, there were two files there I didn't have backed up anywhere else!  I checked dropbox, and it had synced everything also.  But then I checked the deleted items, and was able to restore them.  

I've *never* had a problem with DropBox like this, and I do a lot of moving and re-organizing things with it all the time.  I did find out after the fact that the documents were in the trash on the website, so I could have restored them that way, but the point is I shouldn't have *had* to restore them.

I can't recommend SugarSync after this, even with the cool features.  Get the core features right first, then start branching out, which is what I guess DropBox has done.

UPDATE:  I'll never even try SugarSync again- the injury just caused was too egregrious for them to *ever* restore my confidence.  I was removing SugarSync from my machines- I guess I should have known to back up everything that I ever synced with them.  During the uninstall, it stated that "no files would be removed".  [Expletive Deleted]!  They removed *everything* from my machine.  Again, DropBox saved me.  I saw a few very irate people while doing my research, and just assumed that they were nutcases, because of the vehemence of their denouncement of the software.  I know understand them intimately.

UPDATE: The error message that when compared to the deleted files made me so irate:
Mini Review of SugarSync and DropBox

[JavaJones]

Wow, thanks for the update! That is *really* useful info. Sounds like they have some serious problems to work out.

- Oshyan

[J-Mac]

Ouch! I haven't lost anything with Dropbox, but I thought I did on a few occasions. Dropbox has occasionally done some weird things. Every now and then an empty folder will appear in my Dropbox. Named the same as another folder somewhere on my computer. I don’t know how or why that happens and neither do the Dropbox folks apparently. They look into it and upon finding no reason they kind of imply that perhaps it was user error. Not so. In one case a folder mysteriously appeared in the parent Dropbox folder that was named the same as another folder I had within a subfolder in my Dropbox. I initially thought it WAS the existing folder and freaked a bit because it was now empty. I finally realized that it was not that folder but an odd duplicate that I certainly never created. Anyway even though there have been a few mystic folders appearing, no data has ever been lost.

Thanks!

Jim

[nudone]

oh dear. not good at all, wraith808. good to hear that you had things saved with dropbox though.

[cranioscopical]

oh dear. not good at all, wraith808. good to hear that you had things saved with dropbox though.

-nudone (May 04, 2010, 04:37 AM)

Thanks for the continuing information. I think the rest of us are lucky to be able to experience this vicariously, thanks to people whose judgment we can trust.

I wondered, only, of the cloud.

[3of0]

I wondered if I was missing anything by not using SugarSync.  Thanks for letting me know I'm not missing much.

[urlwolf]

FYI, wuala has added sync and is now a close competitor of Dropbox (DB).
They do encrypt everything, unlike DB. There are 5 copies of every file, one of them in wuala's server, so I think this is the most secure option out there yet.

Their sync interface is obscure as hell, though, and they are not the fastest at fixing bugs.

[amkbcn]

You can choose which files to synch on each computer with Dropbox. I love it!

[J-Mac]

amkbcn,

Your avatar is sooo familiar - not quite Wilma, though. Who is that? Or is it a photo of you?  

BTW, welcome to DC!

Jim

Ahh - Jane Jetson! Takes me a while anymore!!  I knew it was either her or my dear Aunt Peggy...

[skwire]

It's Jane Jetson from The Jetsons.

[timns]

I always had a 'thing' for Wilma off the Flintstones. But I knew it could never be...

... she'd never leave Fred.

[cranioscopical]

I always had a 'thing' for Wilma off the Flintstones. But I knew it could never be...

... she'd never leave Fred.

-timns (March 08, 2011, 11:52 AM)

There'd be a Barney were she to do so.

[Target]

I always had a 'thing' for Wilma off the Flintstones. But I knew it could never be...

... she'd never leave Fred.

-timns (March 08, 2011, 11:52 AM)

There'd be a Barney were she to do so.

-cranioscopical (March 08, 2011, 01:25 PM)

bam bam...