Dropbox is not a relatively new program but it has been newly introduced to my business. The purpose of Dropbox is to allow the sharing of files among multiple computers and keeping those files synced. Dropbox also works with mobile devices for if you need to access a document while you are on the go. The biggest need for Dropbox in my business had to do with having many computers in different locations including an Imac, windows desktop and a laptop that travels around. Keeping files synced between these machines was becoming a large task and using a flash drive was not convenient.
Interfaces
Dropbox has almost any interface that you could need. It includes an interface for Windows, Mac and Linux in order to handle accessing files from your desktop or laptop. These interfaces work well if you install them on a computer that you use on a daily basis. What happens if you are on the go and need a presentation? Dropbox also offers an online interface which allows you to login to there website and download any files that you need to access. This makes your files accessible from anywhere that you have internet access. Finally there is also a mobile option which allows you to add an application to your phone in order to view files when you do not have access to a computer. With all these different interfaces you are able to access your files from anywhere that you may be located but also on any platform that you have available.
How does it work?
For my business, Meffert Web Hosting LLC, I have three computers that I use on a daily basis but I also have a mobile phone and other computers that I at times need to access files on. Based on this I decided to install the Dropbox application on my windows desktop, windows laptop and Imac computers. Once the program is installed, you now have a new folder called Dropbox. This folder allows you to store any files in this folder that you want sync with Dropbox and your other computers. This folder makes it very convenient because anything that I put in here I can access on my other computers without having to carry a flash drive. Also if I make changes on another computer the changes are synced back to the original computer. All of this can be done without the source computer needing to be running. This reduces the wear and tear on hardware components but also saves energy as I no longer need to leave my computers running 24/7 in order to ave access to the files that I need.
For the cases in which I need to access my files from a rarely used computer or a public computer, I can use the web interface. The web interface is accessible from Dropbox.com and allows me to see all of the files that I have placed in my Dropbox folder on any of my computers and gives me the ability to download and make changes to those files. Once I am done making changes I can re-upload those files and have access to the new changes on any computer.
I have not tried the mobile application at this time but I’m sure it could be very useful if you need quick mobile access to files that you store on your computer.
Conclusion
Over the last two weeks Dropbox has dramatically increased the efficiency of my business by allowing access to required files from any location with an internet connection. With the price tag on this service being free for up to 2GB I definitely recommend it as something for everyone to try if you have multiple computers and need a good way to keep important files synced between these computers.