Tips for Dropbox

Dropbox, at dropbox.com, is a file storage and sharing website that really is excellent. The free package offers 2GB of storage, increasing by increments of 250MB every time a friend who you recommend it to signs up. The premium version isn’t really needed for most people, but would be even better.

One of the best things you can do with Dropbox is use it as a kind of cloud-based memory stick. Now, to do this, here are some tips and tricks.

Firstly, download the client onto every computer you own. There is a free software package for every popular OS and it creates a cloud-connected, auto-updating folder that syncs very nicely. By doing this, file transfer is literally as simple as drag and drop. There’s also an iPhone/iPod touch/iPad client available.

Secondly, and once you’ve got used to the above, don’t forget the use-anywhere website. One of the most important website use tips in this case is don’t forget your password. It sounds hideously obvious but it can get very frustrating if a business presentation is locked away, for example. Also, make sure on Windows you select the basic uploader option on the upload window that pops up from the site. One file at a time by this method is quicker than multiples on the complex version.

Thirdly, back up files on there, preferably to a computer you use the majority of the time. Don’t ever trust the cloud too much.

Perhaps the most important advice to offer is to install this on network computers. One or two people in any large organisation will use it. Make sure each user can log in individually! If you’re not an admin, ask the IT guys to do it. The process is quite secure and if they have good anti-malware features there isn’t any reason why not.