Do you feel the need to share files between home and work and keep your macs and pcs synchronized? You want it to go instantly, to be easy? You want a way to easily share stuff with your friends? You need to work together on a project and don’t want your mailbox to be stuffed with versions of files? Enter Dropbox!
Dropbox is a way to comfortably store and share your files online and to sync your files between computers. You can also use it to share files with friends and colleagues.
It all works instantly. The second something has changed, Windows pops up a fluffy balloon that indicates the changes and if you have Growl installed on you mac, you get a notification in just a blink of an eye.
How does it work?
First you instal Dropbox on your macs and pcs. This will create a My Dropbox folder. It pretty well acts like any other folder on your computer. Now you have to go to the web interface and sync it with your dropboxacount. That’s all for the setup, lets start using it.
Copy a file into your Dropbox folder. This will upload your file online and sync it to all of your computers. You can also upload and access files online when you are on any other computer. If you want to create a folder in your dropboxfolder, just create one the normal way you create one in OSX/Windows.
Oh, and another great thing about Dropbox! It only sends the pieces that have changed (the binary diff), that way it’s quick an bandwidth friendly!
The Shared Folder
What we want to do now is create a shared folder. I would like to share a folder with a colleague of mine. I create a new folder and simply right-click it, go to Dropbox (OSX: cmd click, more, Dropbox) and click Share. That brings you to the web interface. You can invite people to the folder by entering their email address. The folder will automatically get downloaded to their computer. Now they can access, modify, delete the files.
Wooaw, what? Modify and delete my files? Yes! This is great for working on projects. Don’t worry, all your files are not only backed up in version history, you can also restore deleted files. You can see the version history by clicking revisions.
The Public Folder
The Public folder is here to share stuff via URLs. Each file in your public folder has a URL that you can use. For example http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/3426/IMGP0165.jpg It’s a private URL, no one can browse directly or view files in your public folder without the public link.
The Photos Folder
If you drag (or create or paste) a folder into your Photos folder, it becomes an album that you can share with whoever you want. It works like the Public folder, which means that every album has a public link for you to share.
Linux?!
Currently they have a Linux CLI client that they use internally but it’s not quite finished but it will definitely be available in the future.
In short
share files
synchronize your macs and pcs
version history
restore deleted files
both desktop client and online
fast!
Dropbox is in beta. Leave a comment if you want an invitation.
Screencast on www.getdropbox.com
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Stacey Derbinshire
This could be a great site for a lot of people–teachers, small organizations, families…
I like the automatic slide show feature. I don’t know if it would replace web albums, but it’s definitely a quick way to get photos posted online AND synced at the same time.
Online storage instead of storage on synced computers is great, too.
Any invitations left?
(great blog by the way!)
Hmmm, I’m online using my notebook, but I like the “Photofolder” concept!
Is there any uploadlimit like on Flickr, or are you free to go 
.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that is the easy way to show your photo’s to friends
IF I’m right, and IF you have any invitations left, you may always send me one! Otherwise, I’ll wait
Grtz x
Mattijs
The beta limit is 5 GB.
For me, the Photos folder is not the most important, it is cool though 
Probably it will be 1GB with the release, but the beta-users will keep their 5.
You will have to pay for it if you want more space
VF & Mattijs: One invitation should have reached you by now.
Thx for commenting
Sarah
I think that your invitation has lost his way
, it is not in my inbox, neither my spambox…
Have you sent it to mattijsdesmedt@gmail.com ?
Anyway thx
x
Mattijs
Ow, I’ll have to shut my mouth, it has arrived 3 minutes ago
Grtz and thx again!
x
Mattijs
I’ve sent you a new one. Something went wrong the first time I guess.
Hi,
How do you get an invitation to dropbox ? I tried their website but got no response on my registration
regards
izit
I would love to get an invite. Thanks in advance.
Sorry! I’ve hit the limit on invites to non-Dropbox users. You can still sign up on their site, you’ll get an email when they go public.
If Sarah tells me how to, and Lonnie tells me her e-mail, I can send her an invitation, or isn’t it possible for invitated people to invite again?
Grtz
Mattijs
Wow….Sarah iz popular
Great proggie btw…2 bad that I don’t have a mac x_x
@Mattijs Just create a folder and share it by filling in the e-mail address.
@Sneejk Did you read it? You don’t need a mac, thats one of the great things about it, I can sync stuff on my iMAC with my PC.
Would you, please, be so kind and send me an invitation to Dropbox?
Thank You very (very) much …
Peter
Hello
I’d love an invitation!
Could some kind person please send one to:
redfury [at] gmail.com
Thanks in advance
Stuart
please send me an invite to arjunsasikumar@gmail.com
thanks….
Nice blog. It’s always good to see that there are still people out there among the machines :p Do you still have any invites to dropbox? I wish I had something to give in return …other than my thanks…uh would you like a grandcentral invite? I assume most who were interested already have them but if anyone out there wants to send me a dropbox invite I’ll give you a grandcentral once I get new invites.
pandabulksms a t gmail [dot] com
Thanks
this looks great!
I would love a dropbox invite. I wasn’t very impressed with FolderShare, which when sync’ing 2 macs on my LAN kept knocking me of the Internet. Thanks.
Sorry for the late reply, I’ve been on holiday.
I’m Sorry, I can’t get you an invite, I’ve hit the limit on invites to non-Dropbox users. You can still sign up on their site, you’ll get an email when they go public.
Hi Sarah,
Been loking for a beta invita for a while, without any luck.
Have you got any left?
Cheers,
— Guy.
http://sarah.has.nocreativity.com/blog/dropbox-more-invites/
Dropbox just read my blogpost and supplied me with some more invites (thank you Dropbox). If you want one, just let me know.
Excellent blog. Makes me wanna try it out. You can make me a very happy boy with an invite if you still have.
Thanks in advance,
Max