Online Storage with File Sync Client in Linux

Copy.com is one of my heavy use online service. It provides Copy App for file sync and a generous 15GB storage. Best of all, when you share (and enable the sync) with others, you may share the cost of storage rather than everybody pay for full. You may see their video for Fair Storage on YouTube.

Before sign up for Copy.com, I use Dropbox because it is reliable and provides a file sync agent on Windows, Mac, and Linux. The only problem is the free storage is not enough to me, but the paid version is more than enough and too expansive.

I also try Ubuntu One, but it didn’t sync properly. For example, when I add some files from office PC, they won’t be synced back to my home computer sometimes.

Box.com, SkyDrive, and Google Drive are pretty good, but doesn’t officially provide a Linux client.

Referral is good for both

Dropbox give 500MB for both of you and those accept the invitation from you. Unless they install Dropbox and login, neither of you will get the 500MB.

If you want to get the extra 5GB from Dropbox, you may sign up with referral from me. And you may earn more by referring to others.

Copy.com give 5GB for both of you and those accept the invitation from you. Unless they install Copy App and login on a new computer, neither of you will get the 500MB. Yes, different computers. If you shared computers with others, only one of you will have the change to get the 5GB bonus. Don’t forget to click on the [Click here to confirm your account] hyperlink in the email with title “Confirm your Copy account” after login successfully.

If you want to get the extra 5GB from Copy.com, you may sign up with referral from me. And you may earn more by referring to others.

Install CopyAgent on OpenSuSE

After decompress the copy_agent-1.37.0546.tgz from Copy , I choose the x86_64 folder looking because I am using OpenSuSE 12.3 x64. Double click on CopyAgent and it will launch at the bottom of your GNOME panel as below. I use a rectangle with red line to help you identify. You may right click on it for menu.

CopyAgent is running in the lower panel.

If you follow the README file to install CopyAgent, you will see error messages. You need to download copy-agent-1.37.0546-1.1.x86_64.rpm or use following commands to install:

# zypper addrepo http://packman.inode.at/suse/12.3/ packman-x86_64
# zypper install copy-agent-gnome

I haven’t found solutions to integrate with GNOME yet.

Enable the Fair Storage on Copy.com

To meet the Fair Storage rule, follow these steps:

1. Share a folder via browser in Copy.com

2. Those who is in the share list will see the link in [Received] tab under [Sharing] in CopyAgent dialog.

Received a sharing from others.

3. Double click on the message to bring up the Copy.com Website.

4. Select the shared folder and choose [Start Syncing] from [Action] menu

Start syncing a shared folder in Copy.com

Done! When you put files in the folder, the capacity will be divided evenly by the number of people who share. Try to drag some files and test.

More Words About GitHub

Although there is no official box sync for Linux, you may find many solution from others. For example, box-linux-sync on GitHub is provided by NOISELABS.ORG.  I will give it a trial and write a post in the future.

For CopyAgent on OpenSuSE 13.1

Please read the post Copy.com’s Official CopyAgent in OpenSuSE 13.1 for reference.

More Words About SkyDrive

If you want to sync with SkyDrive from Windows, look for SkyDrive Pro and make sure you are on Windows 7 or higher. If you visit SkyDrive, you can only see mobile clients. Please go to the download center and look for SkyDrive Pro.

It is reported that GNOME 3.6 will integrated SkyDrive but I am not sure whether it is WebDAV or offline file sync. Let’s wait and see.

Reference

1. Copy.com
2. Copy: Copy App
3. Copy: Fair Storage
4. Dropbox
5. Dropbox: Download Dropbox
6. Ubuntu One
7. Box.com
8. Box: Box Sync
9. Microsoft: Compare SkyDrive
10. Microsoft: What is SkyDrive Pro?
11. Microsoft: SkyDrive Pro client for Windows
12. Google: Google Drive
13. Google: Download Google Drive
14. Copy: copy_agent-1.37.0546.tgz
15. Links2linux.org: copy-agent Package details
16. Linux Package Search: copy-agent-gnome-1.37.0546-1.1.x86_64.rpm Install Howto
17. GitHub: box-linux-sync – A naïve Box.com Linux Client
18. NOISELABS.ORG
19. Copy.com’s Official CopyAgent in OpenSuSE 13.1
20. Microsoft: Download Center
21. GNOME: driving to the sky, one step at a time
22. Wiki: WebDAV