For Those Questioning The Subscription Fee Vs Dropbox, You Are Probably Looking At It The Wrong

[fdbryant3]

The big knock on the subscription fee is "what am I paying for, I am using my own equipment" with the corallary being that the cost of using Dropbox is that they have a backend they have to support and hardware you has to be paid for.

 

Except that is not what you are paying for.  You are paying for software that allows you to sync data on multiple devices across your LAN/Internet.  Currently there are 3 different ways (that I can think of) to do this:

 

Client/Server model - this is how Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, and most others do it

Peer2Peer - this is how Sync, Syncthing, AeroFX, Cubby does it

Geek It - In other words roll your own using RSync and other tools to cobble together something that meet your needs

 

Quite frankly, most people are not going to geek it.  So that leaves us P2P or Client/Server.  Now most if not all of these offer some form of free service.  If you can get what you need done within that, then you are golden go with that.  However if what you need exceeds what you can do for free - then it doesn't matter how your devices are sync'd, only that they are sync'd.  At that point it is a matter of figuring out which software provider can provide you the best value.  How they do it is irrelevant, only that it gets the job done, that is what you are paying for. 

 

Now whether Sync at $40/yr is better than whatever the cost to do the same with Dropbox, et al, I couldn't say (I haven't evaluated them).  If you need your data sync'd and your need exceeds what you can do for free - then all it is a matter of is determining who you are going to pay.

[mexter]

I wouldn't do a subscription, period. I would happily pay for the software, perhaps as a "per major version" type thing. But a subscription is out. 

 

After the fiasco that was today, the only way they get my money is if they first bring back unlimited synced folders to the free version. If they're going to be dishonest, they won't get a penny out of me. And even then, they need to have some other model. If it's still subscription, then they need some sort of lifetime one time payment. 

[fdbryant3]

Those are fair reasons for not paying the subscription.  I am mostly address the "its my hardware, my electricity, my bandwidth" arguement.  The fact of the matter is that it is their software that you are licensing.  Currently there is no free alternatives after a certain point.  Once you reach that point there is only two real options (for most people) - pay somebody for their software, or don't sync your data.  Once you reach that point - the whole "my" argument is irrelevant (or at least should be).  The only thing that is relevant is who can offer you the best product at the lowest price.

 

Another red herring that goes along with the "my" arguement is that you are paying something for nothing.  Sorry folks that is not  true.  You are paying for additional features, past development, support, and future development.  They may not have the physical infrastructure cost that Dropbox also has to support, but they are a cost that has to be paid by someone.

 

Anyway - I agree, I am not a big fan of the subscription model.  I would prefer a one time payment with the expectation I'll have to pay for future upgrades should I desire them.  I don't think the lifetime thing really is viable if you want future updates, but there is something to be said to making it an option.  At the end of the day though - I am good with the sub model (but then again, I'll probably remain free regardless).  It has advantage and disadvantages just like any other model.  Time will tell if this will work in the long run.

[mexter]

Anyway - I agree, I am not a big fan of the subscription model.  I would prefer a one time payment with the expectation I'll have to pay for future upgrades should I desire them.  I don't think the lifetime thing really is viable if you want future updates, but there is something to be said to making it an option.  At the end of the day though - I am good with the sub model (but then again, I'll probably remain free regardless).  It has advantage and disadvantages just like any other model.  Time will tell if this will work in the long run.

 

So... we're pretty much on the same page... well, nearly. Close enough.