Archive for the ‘Freeware’ Category
Dropbox makes your life easier
I suspect many people are like me: they have a home desktop or laptop machine that they use during evenings and weekends, and a work machine that they use the rest of the time. If so, they’ll probably have some files, personal or business, that they need kept in sync between both machines.
My previous solution to this problem was FTP. Any files I always wanted a current copy of I would put in the FTP shared folder on my home computer. When I wanted to work on anything remotely I’d log in to get the latest copy, update it, and FTP it back to my home machine.
The other day, thanks to LifeHacker, I discovered Dropbox. Dropbox is a freeware utility that installs on as many machines you like, and will keep a specified folder on all linked machines in sync. Create, update or delete a file on one machine, and the action is replicated across all others.
The Dropbox software basically informs the Dropbox server of all file changes, and sends differential updates back and forward. The server also keeps a version history of every file update, and you can always access your files from your own private area on the Dropbox website. There is also a feature to share files with people by placing them in a special public folder, and entering their email addresses in a form – Dropbox sends them an email with a secure URL to view the files.
I’ve found it incredibly useful, and I really don’t miss having to open up my FTP client twice every time I want to update something. I just double-click on the Dropbox icon in my system tray (which opens my local Dropbox folder), make the change, save and close. Dropbox does the rest.
Now, I have had to get access to a file on my home machine that was not in my Dropbox. This is where a free LogMeIn account comes in real handy. LogMeIn is a web-based remote desktop solution that is absolutely brilliant and I recommend you sign up for an account immediately. I just log into my home desktop and copy the require files into my Dropbox. Seconds later, my work machine has the files automatically. Sweet.
