Email files to your Dropbox | Hacker News Reader

Email files to your Dropbox

sendtodropbox.com

87 pointsmhusby24 comments

Nicely designed site, and the ability to modify the file structure is a very nice touch. Thanks.

Just thought of a question: how does the app deal if you resend an item of the same name, but with internal changes? Does it reject the upload? Put it copy the new over the old? Rename? (I'm going to test myself, but I'm also curious what you think it should do.) I know that Dropbox can support changes, but I'm not sure how much of the API is available to developers.

Final update: revised files are handled perfectly (i.e., the item is updated with the same name and versions are available through Dropbox itself). Lovely.

This is very cool, I just tried it and it works as advertised.

But what is going on with the DropBox API? They have changed it around to require pre-approval: "At this time, only mobile apps that run natively on the device are being approved" https://www.dropbox.com/developers/announcements/6

The documentation on how to do the OAuth authorization is missing -- just the mobile method is up.

And this kind of documentation does not exactly inspire confidence: "Remember, if you ever feel you need to store their password, then you are doing it wrong. Very wrong. Storing passwords is evil, and makes us hate you"

Why not explain that if a user changes passwords your app will stop working. Why not respond with a .png of a CAPTCHA when authenticating with a password?

Does dropbox.com take offense (legally or otherwise?) that this app has the exact string "dropbox" in it's name?

EDIT: I'm interested in the trademark implications mostly, are there any?

http://wiki.dropbox.com/DropboxAddons/MailDrop

MailDrop doesn't work quite the same way. In fact, MailDrop is rather strange. This is my understanding from reading that link -- I hadn't heard about it before.

First, I have to download an executable, so it's Windows-only. Second, it needs access to an IMAP account I control.

Those are both strange design decisions, IMO. What is it doing? Scanning my mailbox, downloading the attachments, and then placing them in my Dropbox folder to sync?

If I only want emails in the "Dropbox" label/folder to get sent to my Dropbox account then I can just configure my mail client to forward all matching emails.

That seems easier on several levels. It's easier for the developer, because they don't have to manage downloadable software, versioning, etc. and it's easier for the end user because they don't need to download anything and don't need to grant access to their mail account.

The only way these design decisions make sense, IMO, is if this app was written before the Dropbox API, which may very well be the case. But now they should do it the sane way. :)

My immediate reaction after using this: "Wow, Dropbox just became even more awesome". Great to have a program which gets such feelings of love from me.

For a long time, the only two applications I loved this much were vim and Photoshop. Now there are three.

This is a great use of the API. Altho I wish the Dropbox team themselves would come with this option due to obvious security/privacy concerns (despite http://sendtodropbox.com/legal)

Indeed. I wouldn't use it unless it was an encrypted file, just because of those security concerns.