Software

Dropbox

L ast month I shared about Evernote, a note storing and syncing application that can be used in a variety of ways. This month I'll be talking about DropBox which, while similar in many respects, has some distinct differences.

Like Evernote, DropBox also offers cloud-based stor- age. For those of you who don't know what "cloud- based" means, don't feel bad. The first time I heard the term I was referred to as a "little cloud girl" by a co-worker. From the tone, I took it to be a compliment, but I wasn't sure exactly what she meant.

In actuality, she was im- pressed with the way I'd organized the production of a magazine, allowing the writers, designer, editor and marketing folks to access and edit the various elements as needed. While I may have impressed her with my organizational skills, I blew my image by being clueless about the lingo.

"The Cloud" simply refers to information being stored on the web rather than on your computer. When a file is saved to your com- puter, it can only be accessed from your computer. (Well, that's not totally true, but accessing it remotely is beyond the skill set of the basic user.) When information is stored on "the Cloud" it can be accessed from multiple devices: your desktop, laptop, smart phone or even a friend's computer. Many programs, like the one I used for the magazine, provide options for sharing access as well. While that program was fee-based, DropBox has many of the same capabili- ties and no fee, unless you require a relatively large amount of storage space.

After setting up a Drop- Box account, you will sim- ply save or copy your files right into DropBox. Unlike Evernote, which is intended for notes, clippings and smaller bits of information, DropBox is a repository for larger files like spreadsheets, Word documents, photos and videos. Tech blogger David Barber likens Evernote to a stock of Post-It notes on his desk, while DropBox compares to a full-size set of file drawers.

I signed up for a DropBox account some time ago, but hadn't done much with it. However, after observing Times Editor Ken Graham access his DropBox on a regular basis, I was inspired to put my account to work as well. Ken does a good deal of work on the paper from home and from The Times' Dayton office. By saving stories and columns to DropBox, he can readily access and edit them from any location.

I've been writing my stories at home, then saving them, with the associated photos to a thumb drive and transferring them to the work computer. That was silly. On more than one occasion I've needed to access information I didn't have with me. Thankfully, I don't live far from work. This week, rather than sending the elements via email, I'll just save them to a DropBox folder and allow Ken access. That way, we will both have access, whether at work, home or anywhere else.

I also uploaded some photos from a recent family reunion to a DropBox folder and emailed the link to my relatives. While I could share them via Facebook, not all my relatives use Facebook, and DropBox is a more private option.

I create monthly invita- tions for Christian Women's Club for my mother-in-law and, for some reason, she has a difficult time receiving the attachments I send for proofing. This month I will simply save the file in DropBox and give her the link to access it.

DropBox can be used to store photos, music, Ebooks or videos. Sending a link to a photo album or video is much better option than attempting to transfer a large file via email. Not only that, but DropBox becomes a computer back-up system as well. Should your computer crash, any files saved in DropBox will remain safe.

The more I think about it, the more ways I'm com- ing up with to make use of DropBox. If you have files you'd like to share with others or access from more than one location, DropBox is likely the solution you're looking for.