Microsoft Revamping SkyDrive

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Posted by Soulskill on Wednesday August 15, 2012 @10:37AM from the silver-lining-done-in-rectangles dept.

Windows 8 is drawing near, and with it comes tighter integration with Microsoft's cloud storage service SkyDrive. Because of its increased visibility, Microsoft is revamping SkyDrive to a more modern design, and is updating the SkyDrive apps for desktop PCs and Android devices. "SkyDrive’s revamped home page embraces the same tile-based design aesthetic as Microsoft’s other new and upcoming products, including Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. Microsoft previously referred to that aesthetic as 'Metro,' but plans on giving it a new name at an unannounced future point. ... SkyDrive users can flick for a more detailed view of files, including dates modified, sharing status, and size. In terms of features, there’s the ability to search within SkyDrive for pretty much any term, including content within Word and other Office documents. Microsoft has also shifted common commands (creating and sharing folders, for example) to the toolbar that runs along the top of the SkyDrive interface.

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Disgusting. by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · 2012-08-15 10:45 · Score: 5, Insightful

This isn't specific to Skydrive, it's a defect of other 'cloud storage' things as well; but why the hell would I want an "app" on my desktop for something that is supposed to be a filesystem?
Why would I use an application-specific re-implementation of things like 'search' and 'metadata display'? That's just perverse. I can understand that, if you need a UI that works in just about any browser, with download links and a little xmlhttprequest upload box, for basic just-need-to-grab-that-file-to-print-it-out type needs; but a desktop "app"?
Is it too hard for Microsoft to expose their own service as a filesystem?
1. Re:Disgusting. by DigiShaman · 2012-08-15 11:00 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Call me old fashioned. But this whole idea throwing personal and corporate data to the "cloud" doesn't resonate well with me. I find the entire concept to be... well, unsettling from a security standpoint. Online systems have been and do continue to get hacked.
  No sir, I don't trust cloud technology.
  
  --
  Life is not for the lazy.
2. Re:Disgusting. by Ziggitz · 2012-08-15 11:03 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  While the outrage is a little over the top, the issue is that Microsoft can't implement their own cloud storage solution as an explorer add on. When I install the Dropbox application to my Linux machine, my Dropbox folders show up as folders in my user directory even though Dropbox didn't create my desktop environment because the Filesystem implementation for Linux is exposed to them. Microsoft on the other hand can't implement the same integration for Windows, their own operating system and desktop environment, for SkyDrive, their own cloud storage solution.
  
  --
  There is no memory shortage. yes I have heard of XFCE. Go away.
Re:In Unrelated News by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-15 11:28 · Score: 3, Insightful

Serious question, why is it a "turd"?
I don’t see anything obviously wrong with SkyDrive.
Unless you’re saying because it’s by Microsoft, there for it must be bad.
If so wouldn't that be considered trolling?
Seems like on Slashdot the difference between "trolling" and "funny" dependent on if you’re in the cool camp or not.
Serious question, why is it a "turd"?
I dont see anything obviously wrong with SkyDive.
Unless your saying because its by Microsoft, there for it must be bad.
Wouldn't that be considered trolling?
Perhaps the diffraence between "trolling" and "funny" is dependant on if your in the cool camp.
Re:Skydrive still useless compared to Dropbox by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-15 13:34 · Score: 3, Insightful

Windows Live Mesh did this and was much more advanced than both DropBox AND SkyDrive. Aside from LAN syncing, it also let you sync ANY folder on any drive, not just those in some 'special' DropBox/SkyDrive folder. Also one of my big gripes with DropBox is that shared content from other people uses up my quota, not so with Mesh - the service only stores the file one, why bill 5 different people's quotas? Storing data in the cloud is just like on another PC, you can select to do it, or no -. I used it to sync 300GB of media directly between my work and home machines (initial sync was done at home). I can't do that unless I pay DropBox/whoever for 300GB. Admittedly MS phased out Mesh in favour of SkyDrive in the latest 'Windows Essentials' pack, but I've been vocal in contacting reps @ MS about replacing Mesh with what is (currently) an inferior product. Mesh is/was a great product, MS just sucked at bringing it to people's attention.
Re:Skydrive still useless compared to Dropbox by shutdown+-p+now · 2012-08-15 16:59 · Score: 3, Insightful

Get public link: right click on a file in Dropbox, get link for sharing with people. A killer feature that Skydrive just doesn't have.
It does now.
Re:In Unrelated News by casings · 2012-08-15 22:11 · Score: 1, Insightful

it was a joke, you useless cunt.