Bring back the green 'synced' checkmark in the system tray.

[wowtah]

In my Windows system tray (next to the clock), Dropbox used to show that it was fully synced by showing a green check-mark over the Dropbox icon. This was really helpfull. 

If Dropbox was offline, it would show no overlay icon. 

Recently (and according to Dropbox itsself) this has changed, the Dropbox icon now shows no overlay if it is fully synced, but to me, i constantly think my Dropbox is offline, instead of 'fully synced'.

So the idea is: please bring back the green 'fully synced' checkmark. Or -at least- make it an option to show it. 

Please upvote this idea if you agree 

[millerjb]

Adam, thanks for responding and providing an explanation. I have to agree with Scott above. It sounds like Dropbox is sticking with its justification for this change, but would it be that difficult to make this the default, and allow an option for users who prefer to have the green check?

I have two annual subscriptions (and have also recommended Dropbox to probably a half dozen people that went on to purchase subscriptions over the years), and am still strongly considering taking my business to an alternative.

[missriaelaine]

Adam - your explanation does not hold water with me. I use Dropbox on two machines running Windows and Linux. Both have had their green tick removed. I did not ask for this change, I do not want this change. I do not use SmartSync whatever that is.

A green tick means my Dropbox is up to date. That is what I want, bring it back or I take my custom elsewhere. If my custom is of no value to you, there is no reason for me to give it to you, now is there..?

At least give people the option to have the tick - is that really so hard..?

Ria

[Scott C.67]

Ria/Adam,

I think Adam's explanation is a fair summary of Dropbox's motivation for this change. But I think that it's also fair to tell Adam and his colleagues that we disagree with the conclusions they have reached.

They have, in effect, broken a UI construct in order to accommodate a new feature that people may or may not want. In my case Smart Sync is a not-want and a never-want. It also seems that's the case for you. But I accept that others might want and will use it. However, to break a UI paradigm to please an (at-the-time) imaginary subset of users really is rather silly.

So, yeah, I'll stick with my request to #BringBackTheGreenTick

Scott.

[JohnMurray]

Adam,

Thank you for the above explanation on why you have done this - but like Scott and others, I still disagree with it.

Two points I would make:

1] Why has it taken you so long to respond to this thread? as we know you have been aware of it since it started.

2] I don't see why there can't be a simple option for home users of dropbox to place the green tick back on the system tray icon if they wish to do so.

Smart Sync is irrelevant to me as my friends and I are home users who send stuff to each other via dropbox. We do not store huge amounts of information in the cloud or have business accounts but have always loved the simplicity and functionality of dropbox which meets our particular needs.

Having the green tick on the icon told me everything I needed to know at a glance - that I had internet, and the file I was sending had finished - blue spinney circle when uploading or receiving a file and the green tick when it was done - simplicity. I would really like a simple option to tick a box to place the green tick back on my icon as I feel like my dropbox is broken now.

John

#BringBackTheGreenTick

[brett-m]

Thank you Adam for taking the time to reply with the team's reasoning.

I respectfully disagree and request the icon be returned to its previous functionality - or at the very least an option for the user to choose to return it to previous functionality.  I agree with wanting consistency across platforms - so make this option on all platforms.

Like so many others here, I use the system tray icon as a quick glance to ensure that everything I want synchronised is - even with Smart Sync, this is relevant - the files/folders I have requested be synchronised are fully sync'd or are in progress OR if there is a problem, I have a clear visual notification to prompt me to go do something about it.

-- Brett

[Paul G.46]

Adam,

Thank you for the explanation. However, I too, just as the other responders, disagree with the decision.

Instead of changing the meaning of the long standing well known green tick icon from ' synced' to 'Smart-sync' I think a better solution would be to choose a new icon for the new functionality 'Smart sync'. I won't use smart sync, don't want my stuff cloud-only. I am a long standing paying customer.

It is a nuisance to have to mouse over the icon each time to see if all is synced.

On my other computer (laptop) it is even worse. There a golden spade (?) icon has come instead of the green tick mark. It's there all the time. It looks to me identical when the machine is still syncing or if it is up to date. Only hover tells me the real status. Really a serious deterioration of functionality.

Paul

[Paul G.46]

Dropbox Bring Back The Tick Song

I wrote the below song.  But I'm not musical. Maybe someone could make a real song of it on YouTube? If this would be shared a lot this might put pressure on the Dropbox team to reconsider their policy. Feel free to adapt anything in the text. I hope someone picks up the ball!

[Refrain]

Hey Dropbox!

Are you done or are you dead?

Is it good or is it bad?

Can't see it no more by your face,

need to touch you, what disgrace!

The green tick meant all is fine,

all my files are safe online

Now I'm caught in doubt

Am I in or am I out?

The green tick was so clear

Now I'm left in syncing fear

Need to hover on the box

To get syncing fear detox

Once young you were so beautiful,

lively, strong and colourful,

Now you've gone pale and grey,

the sad signs of old decay.

Was it big money that lured you to malign

of this cripple by design?

Don't be stubborn and stick,

but bring us back our one glance tick!

[gekalegoret]

Hello Adam,

Your foggy technical explanation is not convincing and is only looking at this problem from your point of view.

You have many customers, who do not care about “Smart Sync” who are totally unhappy with the disappearing of the green checkmark.

Their request is simply ignored.  You are being stubborn. Not even willing to look at an alternative, like an option that the user could decide to activate or not, or simply coloring the icon to better visualize the Dropbox status.

I am very disappointed with Dropbox attitude versus a considerable number of faithful customers.

Georges

[J B.]

When my system tray is getting fuller of icons from Google Drive, OneDrive, etc., the new open box (which always used to mean "offline") just blends in and nothing draws the eye.  Reduces my efficiency just one more bit.  PC computer work is chock full of distraction away from actual work. Now that I have to hover to determine what's going on, I'll get distracted by all the extra information over there, or something completely different.

[GothKittyLady]

Appreciate the more detailed explanation, Adam. But this doesn't solve the underlying problem: Quite a lot of Dropbox users had become reliant on the feature which was removed, the green tick. 

I think we all understand now that your team is repurposing the green indicator for Smart Sync, and that seeing green on the icon will soon mean, for some users, that the file they're working on is local and not necessarily synced. So would the design team consider providing some other synced indicator for non-Smart Sync users? Or even the option to use a feature like that in the settings? Because someone over there must realize that your new offering is only going to appeal to one particular subset of Dropbox users, namely those people who want to/need to do everything in the cloud.