The Photos page is changing...

[Darren S.1]

I've just seen the banner that says "The Photos page is changing on 30 June 2017 but your pictures will stay safe in your Dropbox account. Learn more". The gist is that they are removing the final remants of the Carousel functionality - which makes me wonder what the point was in purchasing it in the first place:

"After that date, you’ll no longer be able to create or share albums on the web, or browse photos in the current timeline view. However, all your photos will remain safe in your Dropbox account."

Even funnier, it says:

"Creating a better photos experience

We’re continuing to work on new photos and file experiences on dropbox.com. As we learn more about how our users prefer to work with photos, we’ll launch improvements to the experience."

With these changes there will be no photos experience that is any different to normal files. If they remove camera uploads, that would be the last straw for me and I'll be moving to a different service.

[Anna L.25]

I have an enormous number of clients' photos clearly stored as Albums, to issue to journalists and press, in a format they can view entire prospective features & stories.  I echo others pleas for Dropbox to provide a quick, efficient method of transferring Albums into Files and to think long and hard about how it is handling its clients.  I began following the laborious instructions to download an Album, then upload as a File, and gave up.  This method is achingly slow, reminiscent of something from the dark ages.  What are Dropbox thinking?  Currently it shows a total disregard for what clients actually want = zero customer service.  Unless it can offer solutions, and quickly, I like many others will willingly switch services.

[Aardvark]

---

@Anna L.25 wrote:

I have an enormous number of clients' photos clearly stored as Albums, to issue to journalists and press, in a format they can view entire prospective features & stories.  I echo others pleas for Dropbox to provide a quick, efficient method of transferring Albums into Files and to think long and hard about how it is handling its clients.  I began following the laborious instructions to download an Album, then upload as a File, and gave up.  This method is achingly slow, reminiscent of something from the dark ages.  What are Dropbox thinking?  Currently it shows a total disregard for what clients actually want = zero customer service.  Unless it can offer solutions, and quickly, I like many others will willingly switch services.

---

Thing is, we want the albums feature kept. No one wants a folder solution that requires file duplication using up more of our quota. For anyone looking for an alternative, Microsoft OneDrive has albums which are how how Dropbox is now. They also have a camera upload function and if you're running Windows 10 it integrates into the OS quite well. Looking at how things go, this will be the 3rd switch I've made to OneDrive from Dropbox. Last time it was when OneDrive introduced 1TB storage and Dropbox said they wouldn't. I came back because OneDrive copied entire files on changes rather than just the changes. They've fixed that now so I'm going to look at using that. There is also Google photos which is free and unlimited for photos and videos under 16MP/1080p.

[Charles L.5]

Darren, Curious what "third-party app" you purchased, and what functionality of the Carousel app did it replicate that you missed?

[Charles L.5]

Rich, I am still waiting for your reply to this post from a couple of days ago:

Rich, a couple of questions you may be able to answer:



1. What is "speed scroller functionality?" What does it do? How does one currently use it? There are two types of "scrolling" on timeline. The first is that ability to move backwards and forwards through your photos once you open any one of them. The alternative would require you to open and close each photo. The second is right scroll-bar that, once clicked and dragged, shows dates, enabling you to quickly locate photos taken at a certain time. That is tremendously useful. So which does Dropbox consider "speed scroller functionality?" Also, what is the reason for eliminating these basic photo tolls? Is it a limitation of the a new Dropbox UE that is being rolled out, or are legal considerations at play?



2. If I understand the Dropbox doublespeak, all photos will essentially be kept in what is now the "Camera Uploads" file of the non-Timeline Dropbox. I don't use albums much, but as I understand albums it is essentially a series of virtual foldes with photo links. This enables a user not to have to keep or make multiple copies of the same photo in different folders, and of course saves space. This tech is ancient prior art -- not patentable. As I understand the change, you will now have to create multiple copies of the same photo and create new folders (instead of albums) to put them in. As you can tell from the comments, that's not going over well with Dropbox users who use albums. So, if my understanding is right, a few questions:



(i) Is this about the limitations of the new UE, or is Dropbox just trying to get users to max out their limits faster?



(ii) does this change precurse Dropbox rolling out and charging an additional fee to preserve (or perhaps enhance) the photo functions currently available?



(iii) in the future, if I want to tag and share selected photos with selected persons (which I can now do by a link, but without creating a link, will that functionality continue to exist.



(iv) Will a user still be able to post selected photos to FB and other social media. (5) and finally, why all the marketing double-speak? I can't believe Dropbox is incapable of using simple and clear prose and direct messaging. It is clearly (and justifiably) apprehensive about how this is going to go over with users, but I usually advise my software clients to be upfront if a newer version is going to eliminate essential or desirable functionality.



I appreciate your time and responses.

[Rich]

---

Charles L.5 wrote:
Rich, I am still waiting for your reply to this post from a couple of days ago:

---

Those are questions for Dropbox to answer, not me.

[Darren S.1]

@Charles L.5

It's called Unbound for Dropbox - Unbound for Dropbox by Ryan Harter
https://appsto.re/gb/jOV7I.i

The main thing I wanted was to be able to put it on my wife's phone and have her photos uploaded to my DB account giving her access to my entire account with the main DB app.

[Charles L.5]

Thanks!

[Charles L.5]

Oh, sorry. I mistook your user status ("Super User") for a Dropbox affiliation. I guess Dropbox isn't monitoring this site. Still, as a "Super User," do you have any idea what "speed scroller functionality" is?

[Charles L.5]

Richard,

Since Dropbox is purportedly monitoring this thread, can please answer the following questions, which have been outstanding several days:

1. What is "speed scroller functionality?" What does it do? How does one currently use it? There are two types of "scrolling" on timeline. The first is that ability to move backwards and forwards through your photos once you open any one of them. The alternative would require you to open and close each photo. The second is right scroll-bar that, once clicked and dragged, shows dates, enabling you to quickly locate photos taken at a certain time. That is tremendously useful. So which does Dropbox consider "speed scroller functionality?" Also, what is the reason for eliminating these basic photo tolls? Is it a limitation of the a new Dropbox UE that is being rolled out, or are legal considerations at play?



2. If I understand the Dropbox doublespeak, all photos will essentially be kept in what is now the "Camera Uploads" file of the non-Timeline Dropbox. I don't use albums much, but as I understand albums it is essentially a series of virtual foldes with photo links. This enables a user not to have to keep or make multiple copies of the same photo in different folders, and of course saves space. This tech is ancient prior art -- not patentable. As I understand the change, you will now have to create multiple copies of the same photo and create new folders (instead of albums) to put them in. As you can tell from the comments, that's not going over well with Dropbox users who use albums. So, if my understanding is right, a few questions:



(i) Is this about the limitations of the new UE, or is Dropbox just trying to get users to max out their limits faster?



(ii) does this change precurse Dropbox rolling out and charging an additional fee to preserve (or perhaps enhance) the photo functions currently available?



(iii) in the future, if I want to tag and share selected photos with selected persons (which I can now do by a link, but without creating a link, will that functionality continue to exist.



(iv) Will a user still be able to post selected photos to FB and other social media. (5) and finally, why all the marketing double-speak? I can't believe Dropbox is incapable of using simple and clear prose and direct messaging. It is clearly (and justifiably) apprehensive about how this is going to go over with users, but I usually advise my software clients to be upfront if a newer version is going to eliminate essential or desirable functionality.



I appreciate your time and responses.

[Mike H.57]

---

@Charles L.5 wrote:
Rich, I am still waiting for your reply to this post from a couple of days ago:

---

As far as I can tell Rich is just a user (although a "Super User") like you. So he probably doesn't know the answers to all of your questions. Dropbox employees are tagged as "Dropboxer"