#psa If you use #Dropbox and are a #writer or #author, do you know about the Offline Files Access changes in Dropbox? It affects Basic Plan (free) users only.

Empirically, Dropbox Basic syncs any changes you make anywhere to the cloud, but only indicates a sync occurred on devices (phones, tablets). In the Files app on iPhone, I see a ghost image with a down arrow in a cloud symbol beside files changed elsewhere. I have to open them to get them to sync locally. If I have no data access at my moment of need, the local file either doesn't exist yet or is out-of-date. For some reason, my Mac always syncs and downloads, at least if it is open. It's my iPhone (likely my iPad, too) that don't.

What cued me is the notifications in the Dropbox app.

I've attached a screenshot. The notifications imply this is a new monetization feature. Sadly, a good one from Dropbox's company standpoint as it may get many more people to pay a minimum of $120 a year. (BTW, #Apple #iCloud now offers Keep Downloaded even in their free 5 GB plan, though I'm still testing to see if I trust this always works.)

#Scrivener uses an API, which seems to cause my Mac to sync file last changed on iPhone or iPad when I turn on my Mac... However, sometimes I need to pause Dropbox syncing and resume it on my Mac to get the Scrivener files to sync. Could this be the cause of those intermittent sync errors I've been getting lately, because I'm not paying $10/m for offline access? I can't definitively say.

In any case, we Scrivener users know you need online access when opening Scrivener on iPad or iPhone to get the latest files, consistent with the issue. There's no auto-download feature in Scrivener for iPhone and iPad, and on the Mac it's the Dropbox app controlling the syncing... oh, my.

All this seems to imply that without a paid subscription, Basic Plan Dropbox isn't good for disaster recovery after all data access disappears (hurricane, earthquake, black out). Of course, if data is important to us, the retort is "Pay for your f***ing security!"

Has anyone looked into this?

Linked is the May 20, 2024 Dropbox FAQ on this, and it's somewhat inscrutable. The image is of the notifications I've received that imply some change.

Anyone want to analyze this?

Please boost so we might some who can discuss this. #boostingIsSharing

#backup #sync #cloud #writers #journalism #journalist #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #FreeSoftware

https://help.dropbox.com/sync/access-files-offline#How-to-keep-your-offline-files-and-folders-updated-on-the-Dropbox-mobile-app