Would SugarSync Be a Good iDisk Replacement?

[Chupa Chupa]

I'm looking around for an iDisk replacement and SugarSync seems to the the one that best mimics iDisk. Others like DropBox are similar, yet different, for example when you toss a file in iDisk it copies it, not moves it. When you toss a file to Dropbox it moves the file to the folder rather than copying it. I like the redundancy of having an offline and online copy.

Also cost is a factor, and SugarSync offers 30GB for $50, which is about what I paid for MobileMe. I don't need 30GB, 15GB would be more than fine if there was a similar less expensive service though.

 

[thunderbunny]

When I looked at a number of storage services a while ago SugarSync was the slowest. And SugarSync Manager looks likes it is incompatible with Lion if that's which OS you're using.

 

[MrWillie]

Dropbox, on a PC at least, copies the file. I can access all my dropbox files on the Winblows laptop and not be connected to the net. When I get home this afternoon, I'll check it out on the iMac. (I use it on the iMac, but I since its a desktop, I have never paid any attention to how it works). When I installed it on my Winders workstation at the office, it copied all the files to the local machine.

I also like Dropbox's TOS http://www.dropbox.com/terms

By using our Services you provide us with information, files, and folders that you submit to Dropbox (together, “your stuff”). You retain full ownership to your stuff. We don’t claim any ownership to any of it. These Terms do not grant us any rights to your stuff or intellectual property except for the limited rights that are needed to run the Services, as explained below.

To be clear, aside from the rare exceptions we identify in our Privacy Policy, no matter how the Services change, we won’t share your content with others, including law enforcement, for any purpose unless you direct us to. How we collect and use your information generally is also explained in our Privacy Policy.

 

[thunderbunny]

Dropbox, on a PC at least, copies the file.

How is this set up? On every Mac or Windows system I've used the files have always been moved to Dropbox rather than copied unless you specifically copy and paste rather than just drag.

 

[Macsterguy]

PogoPlug is not a bad way to go and no one can pull the rug from under you:

http://www.pogoplug.com/products.html

 

[blueroom]

PogoPlug might catch fire.

I'd recommend a Synology NAS as they have excellent Mac support.

 

[Macsterguy]

PogoPlug might catch fire.

I'd recommend a Synology NAS as they have excellent Mac support.

Wow Bill, I wasn't aware of the pogo plug problems and no mention on their website either... (finally found it on their blog)

I was looking at the business model. I guess it was a video model that had the over heating issues... The video model isn't on their website either.

Do you use the Synology?

 

[franmatt80]

I have a paid account for both Sugarsync and Dropbox. Preferred SS for the reasons you suggest, but it's just so slow to sync up - I ended up always shutting the computer down before everything had synced and being caught out when files were missing on my work computer.

So went to Dropbox and downloaded this handy little gizmo which just creates symlinks as needed, so files can stay in place and don't have to be moved into the Dropbox folder. Neat little work around and easy to use. And reliable.

 

[MrWillie]

How is this set up? On every Mac or Windows system I've used the files have always been moved to Dropbox rather than copied unless you specifically copy and paste rather than just drag.

If you open your drop box folder and there is a green checkmark on the file, you can disconnect from the internet and open the file. DropBox keeps your files that are in the drop box folder in sync. Modify a document in your drop box folder on one machine. Turn on another machine, open drop box, connect to the internet, and you will see the checkmark change. When the check mark returns, disconnect from the net, and open that file. You will see that it has changed.

Basically, the files in your drop box (cloud) mirrors the files in your drop box folder on your local machine, and pushes changes to linked drop box folder on other machines.

 

[thunderbunny]

If you open your drop box folder and there is a green checkmark on the file, you can disconnect from the internet and open the file. DropBox keeps your files that are in the drop box folder in sync. Modify a document in your drop box folder on one machine. Turn on another machine, open drop box, connect to the internet, and you will see the checkmark change. When the check mark returns, disconnect from the net, and open that file. You will see that it has changed.

Basically, the files in your drop box (cloud) mirrors the files in your drop box folder on your local machine, and pushes changes to linked drop box folder on other machines.

Yes, but when you drag a file from a local folder into your dropbox it is moved, not copied. As the OP said other online storage will copy any dragged file and leave it in the original location.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Since SugarSync has a 30 day free trial I went ahead and tried it. The service offers everything I'm looking for except for one tiny problem -- the s/w crippled my Internet speed -- I'm talking 4 digit pings.

It took me awhile to figure out SS was the culprit. I was blaming everything thing else, Verizon, my Airport extreme, my DSL modem. After doing extensive reconfigurations, testing wireless, wired, and still getting the same hobbled speeds it finally occurred to me that SS could be causing the issue.

I removed it from my 13" MBP and connected direct to modem. Normal speed again! Then I reset my AP and connected wirelessly. Same. Whew. So then I went to my 15" which still had SS but WiFi was turned off. I turned it on and sluggish speed came back. Same on the 13". I turned the 15"s WiFi off again and the speed on the 13" returned to normal, proving that SS was the culprit. I removed SS from all machines and speed is back again on the entire network

I don't know if this was just a one-off w/ my computer, or if there is a work around, but I don't care. A pay service should just work. Apple iDisk is slow, and DropBox doesn't do everything I'd like but at least they don't hobble my entire network. It's too bad, but I wanted to post this issue as a warning to others. You may not have this issue but if you do you know where to start troubleshooting.

Oh, and this issue was present on a Lion and a SL machine.

BTW - Anyone here use or familiar with Zumodrive?

 

[MrWillie]

Yes, but when you drag a file from a local folder into your dropbox it is moved, not copied. As the OP said other online storage will copy any dragged file and leave it in the original location.

Ah, I think I understand. Drag an Excel file from My Docs/Excel to My Docs/DropBox, and it gets moved from Excel to DropBox. It's now store locally there and in the cloud.

Sugar Syc allows you to choose which folders sync.

Too bad the service isn't that great.

 

[sandimacd]

Sugar Sync Behavior

Have tried SS based on Apple forum comments. Very disappointed with drawback of orphaned photo files after a hard drive crash. I can't delete them and it's eating up 3 GB of SS storage. SS Support states this is Expected Behavior!
Here's the link to the problem:
http://sugarsync.hivelive.com/posts/2ecdf3f153

 

[klaxamazoo]

I haven't had the problems that others have with SugarSync, knock on wood.

It does have the features I needed for keeping two computers in sync, specifically, the ability to specify which individual folders in sync between multiple computers. I tried the DropBox work around mentioned earlier and it was too buggy and I lost a some files.

I've been happy enough with SugarSync, but if you are looking for an alternative I would definitely recommend finding one with the ability to specify which folders to keep in sync. It makes a world of difference.

 

[tootall]

about dropbox and copying

Like the OP, I prefer to work and keep a copy online. DropBox is used only to keep an offsite backup (I still use TimeMachine) and to syncrhonise my other computers.

To do so I copy (not drag and drop) my online files to the dropbox folder. In order not to have to remember on which files I have worked and to avoid copying everything all the time (copying 50 gigs of data everyday is not a good solution ) I use SuperFlexibleFileSyncroniser to just copy the new /changed files. It works like a charm.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Like the OP, I prefer to work and keep a copy online. DropBox is used only to keep an offsite backup (I still use TimeMachine) and to syncrhonise my other computers.

To do so I copy (not drag and drop) my online files to the dropbox folder. In order not to have to remember on which files I have worked and to avoid copying everything all the time (copying 50 gigs of data everyday is not a good solution ) I use SuperFlexibleFileSyncroniser to just copy the new /changed files. It works like a charm.

Copying the files to the dropbox folder was what I was going to suggest. Hold option and drag and drop. You'll have two local copies but that seems to be what people want here.

Symlinks would work as well but it doesn't look like anyone has created an app (non command line) to symlink just files and not folders.