Dropbox ending "Public" folder sharing

[Pyrii]

Dropbox have started sending out e-mails stating they'll be ending support for the "public" folder. The main use of this folder was to be able to send direct links to files in this folder that were exposed publicly like a folder on a webserver. Where as "private" files had to be shared by creating a share link to the file, this means they'll go to a download page at dropbox rather than accessing the file directly.

Quote

Hi Pyrii, We’re always looking to improve the Dropbox sharing experience. The Public folder was the first sharing method we introduced, and since then, we’ve built even better ways for you to share securely and work together with your team. As a result, we’ll soon be ending support for the Public folder. Dropbox Basic users will be able to use the Public folder until March 15, 2017. After that date the files in your Public folder will become private, and links to these files will be deactivated. Your files will remain safe in Dropbox. If you’d like to keep sharing files in your Public folder, you can create new shared links. Just make sure to send the new URLs to your collaborators. In addition to shared links, we have a number of sharing options designed to make collaboration easier and give you more control. To learn more, visit our Help Center.  The Dropbox team

There could be a few reasons for this, namely many people would leave files up in their public folder for downloads and forget about them, which can cause all sorts of problems.

 

Dropbox was one of the last few to allow direct file access. Imgur still works for images and puu.sh for files (unused files will expire after a time on puush).

 

Dropbox has been phasing out public folders for some time now, including preventing the use of the public folder for serving HTML files. https://www.dropbox.com/help/16

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

Never thought Public folders was a smart thing to begin with.

[The Benjamins]

I think catbox.moe has direct file access, but it has a 200 MB file size limit.

[manikyath]

you know, puush is shockingly good for sharing smaller files (they have a size limit, and their servers are rather slow)

 

when i need to send STL files to a friend for 3D prints i usually just puush them

 

EDIT: should add, google drive actually supports direct file access, but it's a SUPER convoluted lots of loopholes way. but in essence, you could toss pictures you want to embed in for example a build log onto google drive.

[minibois]

Maybe this will finally make it so (small) manufacturers will make their own webservers to host their drivers, instead of linking Dropbox.. Oh who am I kidding, they will just use something else.

[Guest]

To Google Drive then!

[Pyrii]

3 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

To Google Drive then!

As far as I know Drive doesn't allow direct file linking either.

[Princess Luna]

Perhaps too much piracy complains?

[PlayStation 2]

22 minutes ago, manikyath said:

you know, puush is shockingly good for sharing smaller files (they have a size limit, and their servers are rather slow)

 

when i need to send STL files to a friend for 3D prints i usually just puush them

 

EDIT: should add, google drive actually supports direct file access, but it's a SUPER convoluted lots of loopholes way. but in essence, you could toss pictures you want to embed in for example a build log onto google drive.

I've been using puush for almost 2 years and I can tell you that it's fucking excellent for sharing things like small audio files, text files, etc.

[manikyath]

9 minutes ago, Dan Castellaneta said:

I've been using puush for almost 2 years and I can tell you that it's fucking excellent for sharing things like small audio files, text files, etc.

the biggest downside to puush is how slow the images load when you're going trough your puush'd things.

[onlybuilt4cubanxlinx]

There goes my fastdl folder for my TF2 servers =/

[You_are_a_cunt]

*cough*ONEDRIVE*cough*

[rattacko123]

1 hour ago, Pyrii said:

As far as I know Drive doesn't allow direct file linking either.

It does, I've been able to access google drive folders as well as individual files through a link

[suicidalfranco]

So mega while I wait for Kim's mega 3.0

[SansVarnic]

I don't use Dropbox but this could be a bad move. I have used public folders on another service for sharing large files via email that would be to large to send directly. 

 

*edit

I have used SugarSync in the past with a previous employer and I found it to be, surprisingly, a likable experience. IIRC they have both personal and business accounts.

Edited December 16, 2016 by SansVarnic

[AlTech]

OneDrive is a thing so............ Whatever, I guess.

[TickleForce]

I bunch of links that I posted on forums years ago will soon be broken. I don't really care.

I put everything on Google Drive nowdays.

[Simon771]

7 hours ago, suicidalfranco said:

So mega while I wait for Kim's mega 3.0

Mega.co.nz is the new mega as far as I know.

 

I don't think Kim Dotcom is going to create new alternative.

[Bouzoo]

This is a decision I can't get behind. I use Dropbox/Google Drive/One Drive, and Dropbox was my main cloud due it being the most user friendly and easy to use imo, even though it's the smallest one, on which I have a ton on uni files that I shared to hundreds of people in our uni groups on Fb (pretty useful for that), and now I'll have to change my main and links.

[suicidalfranco]

1 hour ago, Simon771 said:

Mega.co.nz is the new mega as far as I know.

 

I don't think Kim Dotcom is going to create new alternative.

ne said he would make 3.0 after mega got take over by a chinese company. Even warned to not trust the current mega as it's no longer under his control 

[LAwLz]

4 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

OneDrive is a thing so............ Whatever, I guess.

I am pretty sure OneDrive doesn't allow for direct file access.

 

 

 

Well I guess this is goodbye then. This was the only reason I used Dropbox. Time to use Google Drive for off-site backup and then set up some direct file access with my NAS.

 

 

In before they make this a premium feature... It's pretty obvious that they are doing this to avoid people hosting websites with Dropbox, and other such things, but come the fuck on. The share function is complete garbage. The public folder was the only reason I used Dropbox. Everything else about Dropbox is inferior to their competitors, so they really are shooting themselves in the foot here. Hopefully the backlash will be huge and they have to revert the decision.

[Bleedingyamato]

12 hours ago, Nicholatian said:

Yet another reason I’m glad I lease a server. You get what you pay for with all of those free hosting sites, to be frank. None of them are quality by any stretch of the mind.

Question: wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to just build your own server?

 

 

Idk about them but I've seen more than one LTT user mention having a server I'm pretty sure it just seems like it could be a nice option rather than paying money to someone else or a company.  

 

It's entirely possible that I'm wrong though.  ?

[Centurius]

29 minutes ago, Bleedingyamato said:

Question: wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to just build your own server?

 

 

Idk about them but I've seen more than one LTT user mention having a server I'm pretty sure it just seems like it could be a nice option rather than paying money to someone else or a company.  

 

It's entirely possible that I'm wrong though.  ?

A basic dedicated server that is highly reliable is like $50 a month. With it comes an uptime guarantee, service and power being paid. Owning your own is a very high initial investment with none of those protections and if something breaks you get to replace that too.

[kelvindeschutter]

alright time to move all my publicy shared stuff over to one drive

[LAwLz]

5 minutes ago, kelvindeschutter said:

alright time to move all my publicy shared stuff over to one drive

Like I said above, OneDrive does not allow for direct file access either so that's not a solution.

 

We need to find a cloud storage provider that supports direct file access.