Online Storage 2.0: Six Sites Reviewed

mikemuch writes "Services like box.net, openomy, and eSnips are more than just places to access your files from the web. Some include media organization tools, Windows shell integration, drag-and-drop uploading, tagging, and social content sharing. ExtremeTech has a review up of six online storage services with Web 2.0 twists."

Comments

Links people links...

[rovingeyes]

Now isn't this link much better?. Why is it so difficult to submit these links instead? Sigh...

Re:Links people links...

[LMacG]

Since it's almost a certainty that the author of the piece submitted the article --cf. "mikemuch writes", "Six Free Online Storage Services - By Michael W. Muchmore" -- one might imagine the point was to gain page hits and ad impressions.

Re:Yippee - 6 more sites to add to the "banned" li

[Bonker]

Yippee - 6 more sites to add to the corporate "banned" list.
It's bad enough people try to use things like "Gmail" to send things that really ought to be sent securely. There are lot of semi-computer-literate yokels out there who see "SSL" and "SSH" and forget that their "private" data will be lying in the clear on someone else's server at the end of the day (free for the someone else or a server hacker to copy/read).

It's assholes like this who make IT difficult for everyone else by inspiring hatred and fostering a sense of rebellion among those they supposedly 'serve'. Perhaps as a Slashdot reader, you're familiar with the phrase, "The more you tighten your grip..."? This is the reason that people attempt to work around you by using encrypted links to offsite storage. It's the same reason they set up unofficial file servers and install 'unapproved' applications. They need or want something that you, in your capacity as the provider of IT services, are not providing.

Rather than arrogantly treating those you work with as 'Yokels', you could understand and provide for their needs. Why don't you try working with them rather than against them? Spend the time you would stamping out undesirable computer use by educating your users about security and providing them with the tools and services they want.

Then, when you have a *real* security problem (one that doesn't involve the use of GMail), they'll be less likely to revolt.

If you work in IT and aren't willing to treat those around you with more respect than you'd give to livestock, you need to find a different job.

Never worked in IT, have you?

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

They need or want something that you, in your capacity as the provider of IT services, are not providing.

Never worked in IT, have you?

This is a classic example of a IT-provided service that employees already have (at least, if you've already invested in a good email system and a good secure file transfer system) that gets marketed directly to consumers as something they don't have. So...they "try it", often with something like a customer list or account statement that shouldn't really leave the company, and then just start using it without even telling the guy in the next cube, let alone IT.

Thus the need to ban (or at least listen for) such sites; if you don't, there will be people who just don't tell you.

I suppose I could safely modify my opening statement to, "Never worked with live humans, have you?" The same general principle I'm teaching you about today applies to other areas too. For example, if I don't lock my company's electrical closets, eventually someone will wander in there and do something that could get both of us in trouble. (Therefore I "ban" access to it by locking the door.)

Re:Never worked in IT, have you?

[swb]

You just can't win in IT. If you block access to something, you're all about control and limiting innovation. When something stupid happens, you own the problem 110% because you didn't do enough to prevent it from happening.

What's funny is that nobody seems to think its "unfair" that you can't make yourself more efficient by cutting a hole in the wall and creating your own doorway to the parking lot, but cutting a hole in IT security with filesharing is OK because it makes you more efficient.

I'm sympathetic to the end users as many IT policies do seem irrational, but I'm also sympathetic to IT since its unlikely they have been given a mandate to enable the end users to do whatever they want.

Re:ssh rsync?

[VE3MTM]

How about http://www.rsync.net/?

I have no affiliation with them, and I've never used their service, but it sounds like what you asked for.