Apple_Robert
Contributor
SpaceDrive is not really being created for the average user per se. Look at their website. Once it gets going, I anticipate a rather steep subscription tier for the different cloud service offerings.
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Best Finder alternatives / File managers
- Thread starter JonL12345
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Janichsan
macrumors 68040
Apple_Robert
Contributor
Our cloud service
At its heart, Spacedrive will always be open source and free. However, we do offer optional paid services to boost your experience. For instance, with a subscription to our cloud service, you get an encrypted database and preview media backup, file transfer options, ample storage, and backup plans. These are perfect for individuals, teams, and businesses looking for better collaboration.³Connections between devices in your network are always peer-to-peer, and never go through our servers. We do not have access to your data, and we never will. Our cloud service is completely optional, and you can use Spacedrive without it.
October '23 Alpha Release
The public alpha of Spacedrive is here. A modern file explorer with cross-platform support, tagging, albums, and more.
www.spacedrive.com
Janichsan
macrumors 68040
And? The keyword here is "optional".
You won't need their cloud services if you want to use SpaceDrive as local Finder alternative or connect to Dropbox, Google Drive, or whatever other online cloud storage to prefer.
Apple_Robert
Contributor
I never said it wasn't optional. I am not here to argue over something so stupid. What I said stands. According to the website, it isn't being geared towards the typical home user. Their goal is to build the product out where a lot of people will want / need to use the cloud offerings. I am done commenting on this Alpha app.
Pathfinder is by far the best alternative I have been using. The simplicity of renaming files in bulk is just unparalleled. The normal finder app just lacks simple but intuitive functionalities like this..
AZhappyjack
Suspended
Glad that you like it. I have found PathFinder to be buggy and their support is virtually nonexistent. I've been using QSpace Pro for about 4-5 months now and find it to be a pretty solid replacement for Finder.
svenmany
macrumors 68030
That's exactly my feeling. PathFinder's support was so bad on their forums. As far as I can tell, they no longer have those forums.
QSpace is great. They do frequent updates with new features and fixes. Two bugs I reported were fixed within a month.
MacBH928
macrumors G3
From SpaceDrive website:
"You start by adding local folders, network locations, and external drives into your data library. Spacedrive will keep its database in sync with the underlying file system, extracting metadata, uniquely identifying files, and generating thumbnails. This allows you to organize and search your library even when the storage locations go offline. A job manager lets you track the progress for each phase of indexing, copy/paste, encryption, media encoding, and more."
Can someone elaborate on this? My understanding that the files already on the disk and the file explorer is just an app to browse them. This one says it will recreate a database of the files?
"You start by adding local folders, network locations, and external drives into your data library. Spacedrive will keep its database in sync with the underlying file system, extracting metadata, uniquely identifying files, and generating thumbnails. This allows you to organize and search your library even when the storage locations go offline. A job manager lets you track the progress for each phase of indexing, copy/paste, encryption, media encoding, and more."
Can someone elaborate on this? My understanding that the files already on the disk and the file explorer is just an app to browse them. This one says it will recreate a database of the files?
svenmany
macrumors 68030
I was referring to a feature of QSpace called the Desktop. That feature replaces Finder’s Desktop with their own. I leave it turned off.
QSpace has so many features and preferences that you can tweak. And they keep adding more. It can take a while to figure it all out. But, you don’t have to learn about every feature to appreciate those you have. I love it.
MacBH928
macrumors G3
will give it a shot again, what worries me is it is from an extremely obscure developer. I kind of like to go with the mainstream
svenmany
macrumors 68030
I worry that it's developed in China, but I don't really have an opinion if that's rational. Certainly LittleSnitch shows connections from that program to Shanghai, but I suspect it's for update checks.
I WAS the one
macrumors 6502a
Apple_Robert
Contributor
I WAS the one
macrumors 6502a
I wouldn't install it on my Mac. Not because is from China, just for the lack of info about the developer and the source. Basically the version from MAS is different from the one you download and the payment option is weird.
I WAS the one
macrumors 6502a
QSpace is essentially a clone of Pathfinder. How does it perform? I left Pathfinder due to numerous bugs and problems. Are the same issues present in Qspace?
AZhappyjack
Suspended
Pathfinder is trash... bugs, no support and a subscription model (of sorts)... been using QSpace for several months and find it pretty solid, IMO... it's a clone of all of them in the sense that it's a 2-panel Finder alternative... but better than both Pathfinder and ForkLift, IMO.
MacBH928
macrumors G3
when you say clone, you mean same design? because same design with better running code it means its superior . But clone as in the same code base, then yes its bad.
I am not developer but I do not get why developers create buggy software, or at least not fix it when the issue arises like Pathfinder
AZhappyjack
Suspended
I'd be hard pressed to think that any developer intentionally creates buggy software... but coding can be incredibly complex. Any program with more than 50-100 lines of code most likely contains bugs. Sometimes it's complexity and sometimes it's lazy programming. And depending on the complexity of the code (Pathfinder, ForkLift and QSpace are going to be complex code), fixing bugs becomes a balancing act between number of issues, future direction of the platform, manpower and the developers desire to create a quality product. Based on my experience, I'd venture to say that Pathfinder just doesn't care that much.
MacBH928
macrumors G3
asking because I saw complex software thats pretty stable. Isn't that what they say about Debian Linux LTS releases? rock hard stability?
svenmany
macrumors 68030
AZhappyjack
Suspended
It's a function of skilled coders and sound logic... clearly it can be done... but my post was in response to "I am not developer but I do not get why developers create buggy software, or at least not fix it when the issue arises like Pathfinder" ... YMMV
I WAS the one
macrumors 6502a
I'm unsure if Pathfinder was sold to a third-party company or if the original developers gave up. I had been a loyal customer since the introduction of macOS X! This year, I requested some fixes that were impacting my productivity, and they essentially ignored me. That's when I made the switch to Forklift, and every minor issue has been addressed. The developer truly knows what they're doing.