Help your fellow Grads boost their DropBox

[Postbib Yeshuist]

I did something like this last year, but without being so explicit about it. The rules of the post are simple:

1. Use the referral link in the post above yours to sign up for a free 2Gb of storage on DropBox (see below for details). Use a .edu address if you can for more space.

2. Download and install the small software package (easy to do, and it's not spyware or anything like that). This gives them up to 500Mb of space, and gives you an extra 250Mb.

2. After doing so, get your referral link from DropBox and paste it in a reply to this post so the next person can use your link and help boost your storage (up to 500Mb for each referral).

I'll begin. here's mine: http://db.tt/2i64eSu

OK, what is DropBox? The easiest way to think of it is an internet "flash drive." On signing up with dropBox, you get 2Gb of free storage. DropBox downloads a small (safe) program to your computer (Mac, PC or Linux) that creates and then monitors a folder. If you save something to the folder, DropBox copies it to their servers. If you log into another computer you own (say a desktop) and install DropBox, it will automatically download that file to the second computer. If you make changes on the desktop (say it's a thesis paper) and save, dropBox uploads the changes and then downloads them to your laptop next time you're on it.

You can watch a short video at www.dropbox.com

here are my semi-clever responses to good questions that might crop up:

"But isn't the cloud potentially risky? I mean, hello, Amazon?"

True, but DropBox is not the only place files are stored. They're stored locally on your computer as well as "the cloud." For instance, I have 3 computers linked to my DropBox account. As a result, i have 4 copies of the paper I'm working on right now. Talk about redundancy.

"OK, that's kinda cool. But I still need a flash drive if I go to print at the library."

Not so, You can log into www.dropbox.com and access all your files through their web interface.

"But 2Gb seems kinda small."

For the average grad student, if you just keep papers there, it's more than enough to store and secure your important docs (imagine never having to worry that your dissertation is lost if someone steals your laptop). Still, if you sign up with a .edu address and then get your friends to do the same (using referral links), you can get more storage in 500Mb chunks. They also have a few easy things you can do on their site to get a quick 1Gb extra.

"Anything else cool I should know about?"

DropBox saves 30 days worth of iterations of your docs. If you accidentally delete a document and don't realize it until 2 weeks later, it's still there on the DropBox website. Just login and restore it.

DropBox has an iPhone app!

DropBox will guarantee that you finish whatever degree you're working on, or refund you 237% of your tuition.

One of the above is a lie.

[InquilineKea]

http://db.tt/b6hUzS1

[newms]

Hey, your thread from last year was active until recently - it was a great idea!

Remember to go to http://www.dropbox.com/edu to get double credit for referrals.

My referral is http://db.tt/tjyv3X4

[fuzzylogician]

Remember to go to http://www.dropbox.com/edu to get double credit for referrals.

Thank you!! I didn't know about this option.

Here is my referral: http://db.tt/NYO9P0h

[wwellington]

My referral: http://db.tt/xB02SOp

[hejduk]

Be careful with Dropbox or any other cloud-based service. Too many opportunities for getting compromised:

http://news.cnet.com...OCmoreStories.0

"Handing your data over to someone is in a way comparable to handing goods over to a shipping company that promises to get it safely from one place to the other. Something bad can happen along the way, and often does. Trains derail, ships sink or get attacked by pirates. This is why the insurance industry exists. Yes, data is slightly different because it can be copied, but you get the idea."

Edited May 1, 2011 by hejduk

[HandsomeNerd]

My referral: http://db.tt/xB02SOp

My referral:

http://db.tt/1WDdUZu

[newms]

Be careful with Dropbox or any other cloud-based service. Too many opportunities for getting compromised:

http://news.cnet.com...OCmoreStories.0

"Handing your data over to someone is in a way comparable to handing goods over to a shipping company that promises to get it safely from one place to the other. Something bad can happen along the way, and often does. Trains derail, ships sink or get attacked by pirates. This is why the insurance industry exists. Yes, data is slightly different because it can be copied, but you get the idea."

I remembered this post when I came across this story about Dropbox being compromised this week. I'm still going to be using Dropbox, especially for storing papers and notes, but it goes to reinforce that you should never put any confidential or sensitive documents online unencrypted if you're not willing for them to be potentially exposed.

Edited June 25, 2011 by newms

[gellert]

Excellent idea!

Here's my link: http://db.tt/gEZAPC9

[natsteel]

http://db.tt/gUu4vPs

[awvish]

http://db.tt/DN1o8C3

[tew]

I remembered this post when I came across this story about Dropbox being compromised this week. I'm still going to be using Dropbox, especially for storing papers and notes, but it goes to reinforce that you should never put any confidential or sensitive documents online unencrypted if you're not willing for them to be potentially exposed.

Not to turn this thread too much away from its actual topic, but this is actually why I decided to use SpiderOak instead of Dropbox. They boast a zero-knowledge, full privacy policy which is much more appealing to me than the way Dropbox handles things. It's more involved to set up than Dropbox, but in turn allows for more configuration. You also usually start out with 2GB, but referrals earn both the referrer and the referree 1 extra GB, and currently there is a limited offer that starts you out with 5GB. With both referral and promo code, you start out at 6 GB!

https://spideroak.com/download/referral/c5e5375eea16cfffc544a08406d029ce

Promo code: WORLDBACKUPDAY (working as of June 28)

[msafiri]

What is the advantage of Dropbox (or SpiderOak* for that matter) over SugarSync? SugarSync offers 5GB of storage, saves your stuff to the Cloud, and lets you have a folder that automatically syncs across all the computers you have it installed on. I guess in that regard they're all kind of similar? Just wondering.

ETA: I did some browsing on the web and came across a bunch of other online backups: Mozy, Fabrik, Hitachi Backup...

I'm trying to figure out which one to go with given that I'll be abroad with sometimes limited internet access but want to make sure I can have backup copies of my fieldwork data in the event that my computer (or external HD) gets stolen.

Thanks in advance!

*Tew, I looked up SpiderOak and it seems that students get a 50% discount if they buy the service. And, I found a Prof. Hacker article explaining how much more secure SpiderOak is than Dropbox.

Edited August 23, 2011 by msafiri

[Shadowlyte]

I have dropbox, but I hardly use it. I tend to use Zumodrive, since I started using it with my old tablet, and I am now in the habit.

[mnturk]

My referral link: http://db.tt/sP7j5Zy

Thanks!

[rvd]

Please sign up with my referral http://db.tt/4DJDGWrI

Thanks

[biochip]

Here's my referral link: http://db.tt/X8vqr8D

And a list of ways to boost your space: http://lifehacker.com/5796318/the-cheapskates-guide-to-getting-free-dropbox-space

I'm currently up to 3.4 GB just from following these steps.

[mallorn]

thanks for this thread! http://db.tt/8zrN5LA2

[Business2Biology]

Nice! From the LifeHacker cited above, you can link your .edu to your account at any time, and the storage boost is retroactive:-)

http://db.tt/L8aA8eT3

[Rose White]

http://db.tt/mok4Suk

Please and thank you!

[etta321]

Here is my link: http://db.tt/rK2XhyJZ

Thanks!

[sulixe1]

http://db.tt/vJAF76ZC

Thanx

[superfamous]

Just make a phoney accounty for you sulixe1

http://db.tt/bY392FWG

[triplebogey]

Just in case there's still any un-Dropboxed folks out there yet:

http://db.tt/n3u4NFd

[biochip]

Dropbox is currently running a promotion on their beta forum build of the program, wherein you get 500MB free space, up to a maximum of an additional 5GB (!), by uploading photos using their new camera upload feature.

Sign up for Dropbox: http://db.tt/X8vqr8D

And read more here: http://forums.dropbox.com/topic.php?id=54396&replies=205