I have my own computers with my own documents on it. I want to get DropBox to synch and backup my own computers.
I also belong to a listserve and I want everyone in the email listserve members to be able to share certain specific docs from each of their own computers in a single depository accessible to all on the listserve exclusively. I only want listsereve members to be able to share specific files designated or specifically uploaded by each listserve member intending to share the document with the listserve. The way this is accomplished now is just attachments to all the listserve emails. Trying to locate a specific attachment later via email search is a pain, as is trying to save every email attachment to my own computer for potential future reference.
The listserve attachments are typically Word or PDF files and are not typically intended to be modified by others in the listserve. However, it would be nice if listserve members can copy and paste portions of shared files for their own uses.
Is this a Dropbox funtion or is there a better way?
It would also be nice if the shared listserve files can be separated into folders covering various topics instead of lumping everything in a single blob.
I use SugarSync for the sync/backup function, for which it works very well. It has a file sharing function which I haven’t used a lot, but I believe will do exactly what you want for the listserve files.
Dropbox allows easy folder sharing, as you probably know already. But as far as I’ve seen, it does not allow for restricting the type of content that can be uploaded. I should mention I’m using the free verson - the premium version may provide more functionality.
Based on my experience, I’d second ZipperJJ’s suggestion to use Google Docs: it can do pretty much exactly what you are looking for, and allows you to use “Collections” as you would use folders, and share these out with read only or read-write access.
OK Google Docs for sharing. I want to create folders for specific topics and docs related to those topics. My concern is that everyone on the listserve will have access to it and upload shit to the wrong folders, use nondescriptive file names, delete things, or just make a mess. Is there an admin function of some kind or is there just one username and password, anyone on the listserve can get into it and make a mess of it?
On the other hand, I want people to be able to get in freely, find what they need, and perhaps download and copy things. It would be nice if people can upload stuff at will but I’m afraid that a year form now, we’ll have a jumbled mess and nobody will be able to find things quickly and easily. Not sure what to do about that.
How much time do you have? It might be worth it to set up an FTP server. You should be able to set it up where the members can login with 1 user name & password and upload things to an upload folder, then later on you or someone else can go through and move things to the appropriate folder. Filezilla is a free FTP software for both client and server that works pretty well.
If it’s your Google account you can delete or move anything you want. I’m managing two separate Google docs instances, with tons of collections/folders, and it’s super easy to move stuff around - just drag and drop.
You may have a challenge sharing the docs while keeping them secure. Google allows for several sharing models, as described on this help page. The “anyone with the link” option seems best, but it doesn’t allow you to password protect the folder or contents, and the “anyone can edit” permission would be required to allow folks to create new documents, I think, but would allow them to edit existing docs too.
The good news is it’s free, and easy to figure out, so hopefully with some quick trial and error, you can find out if it will work for you.
Each Google Doc has four levels of access: Is owner, Can edit, Can comment, and Can view.
Since you are concerned about “upload anarchy”, I might suggest the following:
[ol]
Create one or more Google Doc Collections (i.e. directories or folders), and share them either to invited people only (maximum 200), or to “anyone with the link” (as described by Crown Prince of Irony).
If there are other people whom you trust to handle document organization without making a mess, you can give them “Can edit” access to the Collection(s).
[li]All upload files from members should be emailed to someone with Can edit privileges (i.e. you or your trusted inner circle). [Alternatively, create one “Incoming” Collection to which all members have Can edit privileges, but rename and move incoming files ASAP.][/li][li]You then name each uploaded file and put it into a Collection, according to your rational system. Anarchy is avoided.[/li][li]Each of your listserv members should have “Can View” (i.e. read-only) access to all relevant directories, so they can “get in freely, find what they need, and perhaps download and copy things”, but they cannot “upload shit to the wrong folders, use nondescriptive file names, delete things, or just make a mess”.[/li][/ol]
The listserve is attorneys … a bunch of solo practicitioners. We don’t collaborate on drafting a single document. Each attorney does their own work on their own cases. If thay need to write a brief or a motion or whatever for their own client in their own case, then the attorney may upload a copy of whatever they did, altered to maintain client confidence, so the rest of us can crib off it if we run into a similar case in the future, instead of reinventing the wheel on every case.
It is important that the docs are accessed by listserve members only, to limit the possibility that our work product may end up in the wrong hands (non-list attorneys or, even worse, opposing counsel).
My concern is people will upload thier docs using unhelpful document names like “Smithbrief” and they will just upload them wherever instead of keeping them orderly. I guess I just need to stay on it.
ETA: I like the idea of being the upload gatekeeper, Antonius Block. Thanks.
Here is a blog posting by the technology columnist David Pogue describing how he used Dropbox to collaborate with a copy editor, technical editor and designer to put together a book.
Dropbox can be set to group status, though everybody using it needs to have a dropbox account (or else share one username and password, I prefer the former). My group used it to share assets in a game design class before they were “officially” added to the svn server, and unless you mark a folder public explicitly any subfolder of whatever you’re sharing with your group will only be able to be seen and edited by them.
Each Google Doc has four levels of access: Is owner, Can edit, Can comment, and Can view.
If there are other people whom you trust to handle document organization without making a mess, you can give them “Can edit” access to the Collection(s).
[li]All upload files from members should be emailed to someone with Can edit privileges (i.e. you or your trusted inner circle). [/LIST][/li][/QUOTE]
That’s what I do with my (college) students. They have total access so they can see if they really did “Assignment 2” AND turned in to the right folder.
And when they mislabel things, and put them in the wrong folder, the other students get to laugh at them. It’s great entertainment. Embrace the mess, you can always clean it up…