User accounts probably function just like different Macs if they use the same iCloud account. You're photo library? I suppose if you use iCloud Photo Library.
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macOS Sierra: iCloud Drive Syncs Desktop Files and Documents Across Devices
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User accounts probably function just like different Macs if they use the same iCloud account. You're photo library? I suppose if you use iCloud Photo Library.
Beware of limited home internet plans. Some companies have limitations that go anywhere from around 100GB to a couple TB. My old plan a few years ago was 300GB and my current one is 1TB. Syncing this much data could put you over for the month, so watch out! It's so ridiculous that these companies limit home internet so severely. Between streaming everything from movies and TV to music and FaceTime, storing files in the cloud, and being a web designer, I was forced to upgrade.
As for this new feature, it would be handy if I could just pick a folder to sync and if the iOS iCloud app was better. I don't want everything to sync between my home and work Macs. But it would be handy if I could sync a current projects folder between the two. For example, if I have an idea and want to quickly implement it into a project for work, or maybe if I want to modify some design plans during my lunch break for something I'm building at home. For now I will continue to use Dropbox, which is $1.74/mo cheaper than iCloud for 1TB. And as for iCloud, I'll continue to use it for everything else except file syncing. I only use 10% of my Dropbox space, and yet I'm at 95% on my 200GB iCloud and that's after two photo and video purges. So I'll have to bump up to 1TB, and be stuck paying $18.24/mo for 2TB of data, but only using $2.84/mo worth of data (15%).
I really need to set up selective sync sometime for my Dropbox account and just dump a backup of my Lightroom catalog in there so I'm at least getting some benefit. I'm just not sure if my catalog will fit. That's something else I still need to purge! Data management has only become more time consuming.
As for this new feature, it would be handy if I could just pick a folder to sync and if the iOS iCloud app was better. I don't want everything to sync between my home and work Macs. But it would be handy if I could sync a current projects folder between the two. For example, if I have an idea and want to quickly implement it into a project for work, or maybe if I want to modify some design plans during my lunch break for something I'm building at home. For now I will continue to use Dropbox, which is $1.74/mo cheaper than iCloud for 1TB. And as for iCloud, I'll continue to use it for everything else except file syncing. I only use 10% of my Dropbox space, and yet I'm at 95% on my 200GB iCloud and that's after two photo and video purges. So I'll have to bump up to 1TB, and be stuck paying $18.24/mo for 2TB of data, but only using $2.84/mo worth of data (15%).
I really need to set up selective sync sometime for my Dropbox account and just dump a backup of my Lightroom catalog in there so I'm at least getting some benefit. I'm just not sure if my catalog will fit. That's something else I still need to purge! Data management has only become more time consuming.
i find it incredibly pushy on apple's part to have Optimization turned on by default (see original post screen shot bottom).
installing macOS Sierra has this on by default.
installing macOS Sierra has this on by default.
I recently upgraded my iCloud storage to 1tb, just because my photo library was pushing up over 200gb. So with all that space to spare I thought hey let's give it a go!
I mean I still haven't found a use for it. I'm sure it'll happen sometime.
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Can't you just get an unlimited option? I mean, aren't all plans now unlimited? I've had BT Infinity for about 4 years now, and before that a regular BT broadband and I don't think I've had limits since 2004.
I mean I still haven't found a use for it. I'm sure it'll happen sometime.
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Can't you just get an unlimited option? I mean, aren't all plans now unlimited? I've had BT Infinity for about 4 years now, and before that a regular BT broadband and I don't think I've had limits since 2004.
I increased as well my iCloud storage to 200 Gb, after Google Photo decided to burn all my data for a bug.
Photo Library is perfect, but I think that iCloud drive requires more tool to share or request files even from people that are not using iCloud, i.e. the vast majority.
Pretty flawed thinking.
For anyone who has no backups (which is most of the people), having this kind of cloud backup is *just perfect*.
But even people who do have backups now have to consider whether their backups are as good as the remote, replicated, automatic backup with easy access that Apple provides. For a long time, I sure was not at that level, and even now (having a local RAID server) probably could benefit from this. Will have to think about it.
The "only" things to wonder about are the security / safety / privacy (because NSA), and reliability (because Apple).
Maybe I am misunderstanding this, but I don't see it as a backup.
It is just syncing between devices and a cloud.
It doesn't (I think) protect against accidental deletion or provide versioning.
You are correct in that it is better than nothing, but I won't be trusting all my data to it.
Using it in addition to carbon copy cloner, timemachine, backblaze and a NAS is what I would be doing.
I suggested it before, but BitTorrent sync provides a much better way to synchronize data. You can have much finer controls over what gets synced and doesn't. Doesn't use a cloud (if you don't want to) and has no limits on how much data is covered.
Sigh. I wish Apple would just create a way to copy files directly to my iPad. Say I have a directory of PDFs, txts, and epubs, and I want to read them on my iPad. I will be on my iPad away from wifi. So I want them ALL on my iPad. Not off on a server in a desert somewhere, but on my iPad, you know, that thing Apple sold me that is supposedly owned by me?
This is a trivial thing to do on my Nexus 7. Why must it require so much extra effort on my iPad? Just stop holding my hand and include a Finder in iOS already!
This is a trivial thing to do on my Nexus 7. Why must it require so much extra effort on my iPad? Just stop holding my hand and include a Finder in iOS already!
Unfortunately I noticed that many companies started putting limits back on a few years ago. We have two options at my house: Mediacom and Century Link. Mediacom goes up to 150Mbps for 2000GB, which is their maximum package. Century Link only offers roughly 10Mbps DSL in my neighborhood, although they've been building out 1 Gigabit fiber in parts of town. Not sure if it's unlimited. When I had Charter a few years ago, it was unlimited but about 40% slower, and I can't get it at this address. My Grandpa has AT&T DSL, as that's his only option, and it's limited to either 250GB or 350GB. But it's so slow he could never hit that. I'm on Mediacom's 100/10Mbps plan, but in reality I actually get a better 110/20Mbps. I'm capped at 999GB, and I can't even upgrade to the 2000GB plan because they don't offer 150Mbps in my area. I asked. But we never hit 1000GB anyway, despite all the streaming and cloud stuff going on in our household. So some people might be able to upgrade, but pay a lot, and others like me have no option to.
My message was just a warning to those on limited plans, as there are lot of them out there who never come close to hitting their limit that might this one time. This first iCloud storage sync could make you get hit with overage charges—as well as any subsequent syncs to brand-new Macs that you purchase down the road. If you're loading up a 1 or 2TB iCloud plan, be careful!
In the beta. If you turn off this feature, all your files disappear and they don't seem to be backed up locally on your mac anymore. As it seems to just move the documents/desktop folder across to icloud, rather than duplicating it. Luckily, if you turn it back on, the files come back, but is this a permanent solution? Or would they disappear when it resyncs to icloud?
Also what is the sync cycle, it seems rather frustrating if you lose something and it syncs fairly quickly, you'll have also lost it in the cloud also? So it isn't so much a backup solution if the sync is quick.
It also seems like a sceme to get you to buy icloud storage. Because unless you have already done so, pretty much everyone's documents/desktop folder will exceed your free allocation of icloud storage. And then you get annoying popups everyday 'you have exceeded your limit and it can't sync till you buy more storage'.
It just annoys me that it is on by default. I don't like to be forced into doing something. Especially when all my business assets are in my document folder.
How did you rectify this? Previously, I remember trying to create a normal documents folder and then copy it across, but kinda gave up; after encountering some issue. What was your solution?
Or maybe it is fixed in the public release
Also what is the sync cycle, it seems rather frustrating if you lose something and it syncs fairly quickly, you'll have also lost it in the cloud also? So it isn't so much a backup solution if the sync is quick.
It also seems like a sceme to get you to buy icloud storage. Because unless you have already done so, pretty much everyone's documents/desktop folder will exceed your free allocation of icloud storage. And then you get annoying popups everyday 'you have exceeded your limit and it can't sync till you buy more storage'.
It just annoys me that it is on by default. I don't like to be forced into doing something. Especially when all my business assets are in my document folder.
How did you rectify this? Previously, I remember trying to create a normal documents folder and then copy it across, but kinda gave up; after encountering some issue. What was your solution?
Or maybe it is fixed in the public release
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Ouch! I didn't know it was so bad in America for bandwidth. I thought limits were a thing of the past!
So I wonder though. All these big tech firms, all this big cloud stuff, it's all originating in America. Do some areas not have bandwidth limits?
Also, did I dream it or did Google (years ago) started a broadband service that had super fast speeds and no limits at all?
Mark, I've just asked the same question regarding my 13" MacBook Pro (acts as my desktop computer) and my 12" MacBook (my daily carry computer).
After initiating the function on both computers, any file on the desktop of each computer is uploaded to iCloud and then sync'd down to the desktop of the other Mac. Navigating to iCloud via my browser shows a "combined" desktop showing the same desktop files on both computers. The two Desktop's are not exactly sync'd, so I'm not sure exactly how best to use the feature.
The new iCloud sync feature has also created a new folder on my desktop called "Desktop-Macbook", but I've yet to determine how this folder is operating as it contains a ton of Dropbox aliases from both computers.)
Yeah, I'm actually from the Kansas City area where they first launched Google Fiber, which is 1Gbit/s. A lot of startups will buy older run-down houses in neighborhoods who have access and renovate them to run their newly formed company. And even in some areas of the metro companies still aren't competing. I currently live about 120 miles away in a town of about 150,000 and it's even worse. I still keep hoping for Century Link's 1Gbit to make it to my neighborhood, but it seems like the rollout is super slow. I'm hopeful though since my neighborhood is only a few years old and off a main road near the edge of town. Would think it would be easier to hook up out here where they can tear up the ground more easily and have room to maneuver. Some of the just launched neighborhoods in town advertise on the radio that they have Gigabit.
I don't think it has so much to do with areas, except for lack of competition. Even so competition can be impossible. In many areas you only have one service provider, because the U.S. is so spread out. Many rural areas can only get satellite internet or dial-up. Many rural areas they get a MiFi to hook up to Verizon, which has the best rural coverage and speed. But those plans can be expensive, and you only get anywhere from 10-50GB for anywhere from about $80-300/mo (don't quote me on that, it was a few years ago that I looked up the pricing for my grandma who lives in the country and that's a ballpark from memory).
Even so, I don't have much reason to complain any more. Mediacom used to be awful when I was in college. My internet would be out for hours at a time and my speeds were usually a third to half of what I was paying for. Now they're over what I pay for and it rarely goes down, and I never hit that data cap. And I only pay $65/mo.
I'm annoyed to find out this feature is for Desktop AND Documents. Documents is where I put all the crap I don't want to see anywhere else!
Are you saying you can't turn off the "Optimize" feature?
[doublepost=1474579973][/doublepost]Anybody else find this feature insufficient in scope? Specifically, I have a bunch of data and configuration that needs to be backed up and replicated in ~/Library/Application Support and other places in ~/Library. If you have two Macs you want to keep in sync, without the ~/Library stuff you simply can't use many applications on both since their data hasn't been synced.
You can always establish a new Folder called "Crap I don't Want to See" and move the files to the new folder. Those won't be sync'd and keep only sync-worthy files in your Documents Folder.
I'm not totally sure either, but imagine the situation where your main disk suddenly fails / disappears (broken, stolen, whatever).
Now, if that is your only disk, you're hosed. But with the iCloud copies... well, I am *guessing* that if you get a new disk or computer and log into iCloud, your docs will still be there. I'd say that that's what most people would consider a backup.
Anyway, you're right in that if you yourself delete a file, probably the deletion will propagate to iCloud... so unless iCloud does provide some Time Machine-like functionality, you're again hosed.
Can anyone confirm whether iCloud keeps previous versions of files, or at least whether one can recover a deleted file?
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Doesn't iTunes syncing allow you to do that since, like, ... about forever?
Only if I want to "organize" them in the iTunes app. I'm talking about file-centric management of files, not app-centric management, which is great for large collections of single file types but not so good for collections arranged by project.
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For me the issue isn't that I don't want to see it, it's that my documents folder is far, far larger than 5GB. I would want to selectively share specific directories via iCloud. And even if iCloud space was unlimited, I fail to see the wisdom in sending a file from my Mac Pro to a server out in the desert somewhere and then back to my iPad here in MI. Why not just directly access my Mac Pro with my iPad over my wireless LAN?
For now I copy directories to the iCloud Drive folder, but then I need to deal with two copies of each shared directory. What a PITA.
Anyways I think the reason we can't sync specific directories via iCloud is rather obvious, no? Apple want to sell iCloud subscriptions, so they design features that will corral users into their subscription plans.
I can guess an answer: you're thinking about it from the wrong side. The moment you step out of your WLAN, your "direct access" would be useless. The general solution is what Apple is doing: push to the cloud, sync everywhere.
Once that is working, making the actual transfer go through the local network is just an optimization.
That's also what Dropbox and some P2P programs do: first the general, remote-capable solution, then the local optimization.
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To me it rather looks like they design so the user who doesn't even know how many GB s/he has can take good advantage of the new feature. I don't see anyone in my family *wanting to deal* with selecting directories like you are saying. They're the kind of people who don't know how much "space" they have free, nor what is exactly the difference between RAM and HD "space".
On the other hand, paying for a subscription that will actually make them feel they have a lot more "space", not having to care where that is exactly? I can see them jumping in.
Heck, even I myself am getting interested. If they throw in TimeMachine behavior for the "iCloud Desktop & Documents" (and I bet they will sooner than later), I'm in, and then I'm probably getting rid of my networked, RAID Time Capsule and having to admin and backup it.
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I turned on Desktop and Documents. Anybody know why iCloud Drive is so slow to finish? It says it's transferred all the data ("XX.X GB of XX.X GB transferred) but it's been stuck there for hours, and Finder still shows the little cloud icons saying that syncing is going on.
That's fine to have cloud options but we need what you call "local optimization" as well.
If an iPad had a Finder I could simply access and browse my Mac Pro's hard drive. Simple and elegant. With a little foresight I can load what I need on my iPad for the day. And I don't have to have internet access when I need my files! Brilliant, don't you think? Almost magical.
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The darn Developer Beta deleted my local files once they were uploaded though, and then it was a total pain to redownload them. literally took a couple days.. What a pain. hope they fixed that for the public version, but be careful all.
http://remove-icloud-iphone.blogspot.com/
The darn Developer Beta deleted my local files once they were uploaded though, and then it was a total pain to redownload them. literally took a couple days.. What a pain. hope they fixed that for the public version, but be careful all.
http://remove-icloud-iphone.blogspot.com/
That happened to me after uploading my photo library. Now 80 Gb in download, again. -_-