Ending support of public folder

[ae2rigc]

Just heard from dropbox that support for the public folder is ending.

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As a result, we’ll soon be ending support for the Public folder. Dropbox Pro users will be able to use the Public folder until
September 1, 2017. After that date the files in your Public folder will become private, and links to these files will be deactivated. Your files will remain safe in Dropbox.

If you’d like to keep sharing files in your Public folder, you can create new shared links. Just make sure to send the new URLs to your collaborators.

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It is one of the most useful features of the service for me as I use it to get links to single files that I can send to people without setting up shared folders and requiring them to have dropbox accounts.

(Save file to my public folder locally, syncs, right click, get publick link, paste. Doesn't get any easier than that.)

It's also useful for bb style forum posts where you can link to images with an easy tag.

With the public folder support being removed, is there going to be an alternative solution to allow easy public sharing of single files?

[Edvard]

Can we not just move the shared files/folders to a new location outside Public?

https://www.dropbox.com/help/9194

"Previously, if you renamed or moved a file or folder, any shared links to them would "break." This means that anyone clicking the links would see an error message. Now, you can reorganize and rename files and folders in your Dropbox without impacting any shared links to them."

Edvard

[mklass]

This is terrible. 7 years of links. True I was a free user, but with 11gb earned that is quite a few people that created accounts from me and who know how many people they invited. By the way, the "d=0" changed to "d=1" works. Just tried it. I guess I'll do that for the short term.

[cdgoin]

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For what ? d=0? d=1 ? Right now all my links work.. I want it to stay that way. 

[bowerbird]

if it ain't broken, don't break it.

-bowerbird

[trilies]

I agree with everything that has been said here. Dropbox pulling something that causes a MASSIVE problem for the majority of its users is despicable. 

[trilies]

I'm unsure of what good it will do, but I'm adding my disappointment, bewilderment, and disgust to the many people who are frustrated with this frankly counterintuitive change to dropbox. 

[LarsK]

Dear Dropbox,

I got my free account in 2008 and upgraded to Pro less than two years later, and have been happily paying for an excellent service since. Unless you reconsider killing the public folder, that will soon change.

In 2008 the plan was to migrate all old files off my personal web server, saving money and hassle in the process. However, I soon found I had to keep my old domain active and maintained because I'd been linking to the files everywhere, and as everyone else have pointed out, old links can't be changed. These links still have enough value today that I keep maintaining my web server, even if I stopped adding new files there 8 years ago.

If you won't go back on your promise to break all links to my public Dropbox files, making all kinds of problems for me, there won't be any kiss or make up using sweet talk or discounts. Along with most people on the planet I already have an android device and an account with Google, so all it takes to start migrating is firing up Chrome and typing drive.google.com.

So, Dropbox, while you consider your options, picture me sitting here dealing with the fallout and tearing out what little hair I have left. What do you think the chances are I'll be cursing you silently and taking the blame for those broken links myself?

You have until renewal day, then I'm gone for good.

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Hopeful regards,

Lars K

[ptizzl]

I agree with everyone else. I have a ton of photos in my public folder that are linked to all across the web, mostly in photo forums. I HATE when I see dead links all over the place, and now, I'm going to be one of those people.

Please keep the existing functionality of the Public folder. Please!

[abela]

Vast majority of comments here seem to be along the lines of "i have posted links to images/videos on forums and now they will break."

So, basically Dropbox does not want to be everybodies CDN anymore.

[KeenMinded]

One of the most frustrating issues with this change will be the complete and utter inability to modify any links already sent out by email and in newsletters to customers in the past. There won't be any way to create a 301 redirect of any kind, even if we do go with an alternative storage service with public access.

Having said that, we will be moving our files to a publically accessible Amazon S3 bucket. On top of that, to avoid future pitfalls of this kind, we will set up a unique CNAME record in our DNS to point to the S3 bucket. If you are planning something similar, you will most likely have to create the CNAME record anyhow unless you want your images and other media to be rejected by adblockers for not residing on the same domain. This step would also allow us to add a simple "middleware" script to quickly serve correct files by repointing them to correct location on the fly, in case Amazon decides to follow the same idiocratic steps to cancel publicly accessible folders. Or just repoint the same CNAME to a new service provider location, move the file structures intact, and Presto! All links should remain functional for the end users.

Just too bad we didn't follow these footsteps here. Dropbox management, if any of you read these comments, just for the record we are all extremely unimpressed with your decision. And now, I am going to go and pull that big knife out of my back you stabbed us with.

Peace out.