Mega Comrade

Technology is a wonderful thing but sometimes I am left wondering why some things which seem so simple are so difficult. One such thing is data sharing between computers. Now there are a few ways to synchronise your computer but none really work all that well, flash cards are a hassle as is most online hosting. Then there is file sharing. I want to send my friend a picture which I have on my hard drive, simple yes? Except for the fact that printing it off and sending it by carrier pigeon is faster and more reliable than the ‘file send’ in MSN. So I end up hosting the damn thing in rapidshit or some other filehosting service, all that effort for a lame catchphrase picture you found on 4chan? So this is where Dropbox comes in. It isn’t the first of its kind oh no, but it’s easily the best purely because it’s more simple than a inbred child and it just works. After install you get a set of folders, put stuff into those folders and it gets uploaded (you get 2gb in the beta) and shows up in any other computer that is linked to that account. Right click on any file in the dropbox folder and it gives you a public link that works in any browser for anyone. When a change is made to the file it gets automatically reuploaded and the change is made to all the copies of the files on all your connected PCs. This also gives you the ability to undelete files too.

So in summary  :

• Backup files online
• Share files automatically with friends and work colleagues anywhere in the world, on Windows or Mac
• Produce instant weblinks to files to share
• Synchronise files between work and home
• Share pictures

Just look at the video on the main site, it explains it better than I can.

www.Getdropbox.com

The service isn’t perfect, it lacks a Linux version (working alpha version exists but not yet public) and sometimes files can take longer than they should to update but for a system still in beta it works amazingly well. I expect you will have to pay for the service when it goes gold but hopefully they will keep 2gb free and simple charge for more storage. Oh by the way, it is invitation only, so you will have to look around for invites I am afraid, but it’s worth it (even just for the ability to make friends beg for the 10 invites you get yourself on activation)

DEATH TO FLASHCARDS! VIVA THE DROPBOX REVOLUTION !

I reactivated my Facebook account while I was travelling. It is still far from perfect but it beats emailing the 30 odd people you befriend while backpacking.

I am sitting in a rather spiffy little bar in the middle of Hue, a town of nothing on the central coast of Vietnam.

I am sitting in a rather spiffy little bar in the middle of Hue, a town of nothing on the central coast of Veitnam. Tired from my 14 hour bus journey from Hanoi. It is cold but not to cold to complain about. I have just beaten a local at pool (which is free) and have ordered my second large tiger beer for just over a dollar (pretty expensive for around here).The walls are covered from head to foot in black writing from travellers. From scribbles of love to random sex to favourite football teams. Also lots of mention of the happy pizza (pizza garnished with weed) which I have yet to try myself. The music is good, the company and atmosphere is relaxed and I finally enjoy Vietnam. Let us hope the rest of the country is like this and not like the capital (cold, busy, loud and dirty)