Cloud storage - why do my files need to be in their folder?

[tekno]

So far I've tried Dropbox and Google Drive, and with both, in order to sync my files to the cloud, I need to move all my files into the "Drive" folder.

1 - Why can't I keep my files where they are on my computer and simply select the ones I want to sync to the cloud?

2 - Do the files then delete from my Mac? If my Drive account were to be hacked and deleted, would they disappear from the cloud and my Mac?

3 - If I delete a file online, will it then delete off my Mac?

4 - Is there a reason NOT to use Google Drive?

 

[dan1eln1el5en]

1 - Why can't I keep my files where they are on my computer and simply select the ones I want to sync to the cloud?

Because it syncs folders and it's content, if the folder reports to the app that it has changed then it will update, I guess files only would be troublesome.
But the folder thing works, and you can change it's location (e.g. Dropbox is parent to your home directory)

2 - Do the files then delete from my Mac? If my Drive account were to be hacked and deleted, would they disappear from the cloud and my Mac?

Well, yeah, it's syncs...
but closing the app will stop the sync process, or you just choose that from the apps menu.
On the other hand, if you accidentally delete a file you can go to the website and restore it.

3 - If I delete a file online, will it then delete off my Mac?

Yes if sync is on

4 - Is there a reason NOT to use Google Drive?

It's Google...

I must admit I'm more into DropBox and Bitcasa.
But no there isn't a huge bad reason why not.

 

[tekno]

Because it syncs folders and it's content, if the folder reports to the app that it has changed then it will update, I guess files only would be troublesome.
But the folder thing works, and you can change it's location (e.g. Dropbox is parent to your home directory)

Thanks for the reply.

I don't quite get your answer to Q1. At the moment, all my folders/files are in my Mac's Home folder (in the various Documents, Music, Photos etc. folders). At the moment, if I want to sync Documents and Pictures, I need to move those folders out of my home folder and into my Google Drive folder. This kind of splits my Mac in two.

Why can't I just say to Google Drive: Sync User/Home/Documents and User/Home/Pictures?

It's also frustrating that I want it to sync just my most recent pictures (pictures/2013) but doing that means separating them from all the other photos which in turn screws-up iPhoto.

 

[jsm4182]

1 - Why can't I keep my files where they are on my computer and simply select the ones I want to sync to the cloud?

What you're describing is how cloud backup services usually work, something like crashplan or backblaze. Dropbox and google drive work more like a shared folder, they sync all the data in a specific folder across devices, for them to work like your asking all the devices would have to have the same folder structure, which is not really possible, and does't allow for excluding files.

 

[dan1eln1el5en]

Why can't I just say to Google Drive: Sync User/Home/Documents and User/Home/Pictures?

Just make the default Users/Home/Dropbox/User/

or just make symbolic links, so absolute opposite of your ideal world.

You move the folders you want to the DropBox folder (Google drive whatever) then drag a "Shortcut" or google how to make Symbolic drives to your home folder, where the pictures and music normally resides.

Then the files would be synced, backup and look like normal structure.

 

[zioxide]

Just make the default Users/Home/Dropbox/User/

or just make symbolic links, so absolute opposite of your ideal world.

You move the folders you want to the DropBox folder (Google drive whatever) then drag a "Shortcut" or google how to make Symbolic drives to your home folder, where the pictures and music normally resides.

Then the files would be synced, backup and look like normal structure.

You can do it the other way too. Leave the files in the normal places and then make symlinks in the dropbox folder and it will sync.

~/Documents is symlinked to ~/Dropbox/Documents for me so it automatically syncs all my files to the dropbox.

 

[dan1eln1el5en]

~/Documents is symlinked to ~/Dropbox/Documents for me so it automatically syncs all my files to the dropbox.

Really ? thats cool, I thought it would just sync the link and not the real folders files.

 

[tech4all]

1 - Why can't I keep my files where they are on my computer and simply select the ones I want to sync to the cloud?

SugarSync does just that. There is no central folder, expect for one they give you. You choose which folder(s) to sync to the cloud.

2 - Do the files then delete from my Mac? If my Drive account were to be hacked and deleted, would they disappear from the cloud and my Mac?

3 - If I delete a file online, will it then delete off my Mac?

Whatever changes happen on one device happens throughout all the devices synced to the cloud. SugarSync does send al deleted files/folders to their 'trash can' that you can still recover them from via the software. But test this first, incase I'm wrong.

4 - Is there a reason NOT to use Google Drive?

If you're a "Google-hater" then the only reason to not use it would be because it's Google and not Apple. If you're an actual tech person and not sleeping with the Big Apple, then Google Drive is fine.

Don't listen to the anti-Google talk that goes on here. Most of it's all BS and coming from people have no idea what they're talking about. All you'll hear from them is Apple is better and Google is evil and give no reasoning.

Now I must go, I'm about to be attacked by the AppleGuard