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OS X Mountain Lion's Documents in the Cloud Simplifies File Access Across Devices
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Actually if you refer a few friends, you get up to 18 GB free from Dropbox.
Sugarsync give you 5GB to start with and give you free bump ups by 128mb every time you:
- install the desktop app
- install the mobile app
- share a file using a public link
- share a folder
- upload a file via email
If you refer someone you get an extra 500mb (as do they). If they sign up for any of the paid plans, you get 10GB extra.
I'm up to 32GB and dont pay a penny. Very reliable and has excellent syncing apps.
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I never saw the big deal with dropbox since I was ok with carrying usb for transferring files since I work in the medical field and don't usually have to do much file transferring of files. However, once I started using the iPad and had PDF files in addition to some word documents and powerpoints I don't see how I did without dropbox. I love apple products, however I don't see them being able to create a system that will ever compete with dropbox's file sharing system. It just seems that since apple is very interested in it's system integration it would have to limit the use to their own software, although I dont see why they wouldn't allow for sharing of PDF files.
I very much need my project file structure. Then I need to be able to check a box next to each document that needs to sync with the iCloud.
I simply couldn't not use a primitive restricted app-centric folder system like that which has been discussed for real work.
Currently my whole life sits in a dropbox folder (includes spreadsheets, photos, videos, and many specialist file formats). Dropbox allows my own personalised file system to be with me wherever I am.
Forcing me to be restricted to a inflexible file system with no support to specialist files would force me away from iCloud FAST.
Apple need to implement something like dropbox for this to fall into the 'actually useful' category.
I simply couldn't not use a primitive restricted app-centric folder system like that which has been discussed for real work.
Currently my whole life sits in a dropbox folder (includes spreadsheets, photos, videos, and many specialist file formats). Dropbox allows my own personalised file system to be with me wherever I am.
Forcing me to be restricted to a inflexible file system with no support to specialist files would force me away from iCloud FAST.
Apple need to implement something like dropbox for this to fall into the 'actually useful' category.
Very Wary of "The Cloud"
I just see more potential for other people to have the personal data that I traditionally keep on my Mac.
While I can see the cloud for conveniently syncing "some" data, I fear that once these "data highways into ALL my devices" are up and running, that they will turn into GIANT VACUUM CLEANERS and the concept of privacy will be gone!!
One only has to read the tech headlines to see that the war against privacy invasion is being lost.
I just see more potential for other people to have the personal data that I traditionally keep on my Mac.
While I can see the cloud for conveniently syncing "some" data, I fear that once these "data highways into ALL my devices" are up and running, that they will turn into GIANT VACUUM CLEANERS and the concept of privacy will be gone!!
One only has to read the tech headlines to see that the war against privacy invasion is being lost.
They're getting too close, too fast to replacing OS X with iOS...
I want good features from iOS included in Mac OS X, but if we start getting 1 level folder restrictions.... c'mon man!
It makes sense to have some restrictions with iCloud though.
After all your data is taking up space on their servers and space is technically limited. They'll keep renting out data centers, but if someone wants infinite folders, they have them on their hard drive.
Completely agree. If they start insisting on documents on our macs MUST go into a restricted cloud (and they will....it's apple) I'm just going to end up using Zoho or Google Docs. Whilst not great, its better than being forced to use an unreliable fake 'cloud' hosted in another country.
How is this not a cloud, which in and of itself is just a stupid industry buzzword for SaaS?
If people are paying for the space, they need to be able to provide it. Nobody else enforces silly limits because of space limitations, they use a REAL cloud such as S3, Rackspace or Azure as opposed to a single datacenter. Apple doesnt seem to 'get it' when it comes to online services.
It's not a cloud in the sense of what everyone thinks a cloud is, and should be.
Traditionally a cloud based system uses multiple redundant locations, so if datacenter A goes off line (which obviously at some point it will), everything fails over to datacenter B, C, D, etc. Apples datacenter is the one and only. If/when something goes wrong at that one datacenter, the entire platform goes down. We saw this not long ago when iTunes Match was introduced. The same kind of launch on a traditional cloud would have spread that load over to geographic datacenters across the globe. Apple cant do that as they only have one primary datacenter location for iCloud.
In addition because they only have one location, we're still in the same position we were in with iDisk. You try accessing iCloud stuff from Europe. Its slow as hell. I'm on a 100mbit connection and struggled to get 100kbps from it.
And for everyone complaining about the absence of a file system; let's be honest: if they allow folders within folders, you do effectively have a file system, just one with a more elegant graphical interface.
"But you can only put Apple documents in there!"
So install a third-party app that allows other file types. Take ReaddleDocs or PDF Expert for instance. On your iOS device they can handle all file types and give you a file system. They are also working on a OS X client to allow you do share files across all your devices. iCloud integration hasn't been released yet because OS X iCloud Document still requires some work. But once the new APIs are made available in 10.6.8, you will have a bunch of third-party apps that sync any file type up into the Documents in the cloud. From within that App you an then open the file, or send it to a dedicated program to tweak it.
I simply don't see what all the fuss is about. The complaints seem to be a result of confusion rather than substance.
"But you can only put Apple documents in there!"
So install a third-party app that allows other file types. Take ReaddleDocs or PDF Expert for instance. On your iOS device they can handle all file types and give you a file system. They are also working on a OS X client to allow you do share files across all your devices. iCloud integration hasn't been released yet because OS X iCloud Document still requires some work. But once the new APIs are made available in 10.6.8, you will have a bunch of third-party apps that sync any file type up into the Documents in the cloud. From within that App you an then open the file, or send it to a dedicated program to tweak it.
I simply don't see what all the fuss is about. The complaints seem to be a result of confusion rather than substance.
File Question
Wonderful
One of the arguments against Apple is that the hardware can quickly fall out of favor e.g. the next iPHone may not continue the success. I think analysts are under estimating the impact on iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and iTunes in keeping users 'locked-in' to the Apple ecosystem
I have a file system with a lot of photos. I currently use Dropbox as back-up service. Does anyone know if I'll be able to back these non-application, non-iWork JPEGS to iCloud?
I am assuming not
Wonderful
One of the arguments against Apple is that the hardware can quickly fall out of favor e.g. the next iPHone may not continue the success. I think analysts are under estimating the impact on iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and iTunes in keeping users 'locked-in' to the Apple ecosystem
I have a file system with a lot of photos. I currently use Dropbox as back-up service. Does anyone know if I'll be able to back these non-application, non-iWork JPEGS to iCloud?
I am assuming not
Then by your definition there's no such thing as private cloud architecture, because that would often only exist in one location as well.
The problem is that there's no single definition of cloud computing, because the term itself has become greatly diluted anyway. Cloud doesn't necessarily mean distributed.
Then you neither use the Internet or iCloud. A situation that sucks indeed, but not really Apple's fault.
Until/unless I can sort by project/topic, and combine (any!) file types within folders, I will stick to my Dropbox/dropDAV/iWork file system work around. Use a pointer to sync Dropbox and my Documents folder and presto - everything sorted the same way and easily accessible anywhere...web, Mac, iOS devices.
I remember trying to do this on back in the late-90's/early-2000's because I'd often work on docs at home and was tired of emailing them back and forth to work. Best I could do was an FTP shortcut to one of my servers.
As much as I don't like a cloud environment for many things (emails and finances), I think this is way cool!
As much as I don't like a cloud environment for many things (emails and finances), I think this is way cool!
I want good features from iOS included in Mac OS X, but if we start getting 1 level folder restrictions.... c'mon man!
Since Mountain Lion is not removing the local file system, I see more as Apple adding iOS features onto OS X than the other way around.
What is somewhat troubling is the direction toward Mac App Store-only app distribution. Although I think Mac App Store is a superior way to find and install apps, it has many disadvantages as well. Both iCloud document in the cloud and notification center work only on apps downloaded from the Mac App Store and by default, Mountain Lion only allows applications from Mac App Store.
They have not removed the local file system yet, and hopefully they never do, but this does take them one step closer to being able to honestly say "There are more people using the iOS file system than Mac, and we don't want to confuse the iOS people, so we're switching to this exclusively.", just as they have done with System Update.
I'm not a doom and gloom kind of guy... but the writing's on the wall here
Your right, its not Apple fault but they don't exist in a vacuum. Apple must consider these when making product / design choices. Internet data caps are consistently being reduced or being added. Mobile Data is fairly expensive.
iCloud has always been compatible with any type of file. Just devs need to implement it in their software.
While many have done so for the iOS side most have neglected it in lion so hopefully mountain lion will push them in the right direction. Only app i use on mac atm that uses iCloud is iA Writer.
i am STILL amazed game devs haven't used iCloud for game saves for those with both iPhones/iPod Touches and iPads.
They still offer the traditional method of accessing files which i'm guessing you used before the release of iCloud. http://cdn.macrumors.com/vb/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif
I put 104 Pages documents in a folder on my iPhone, not sure I want to find out what the limit is ... but it is not 12.