Drop box is just obvious next step: taking file-system to the cloud. Apple is just unfortunately clumsy or it is up to something...
I have Apple ecosystem in my home and within couple of my friends. I just love how it all works together well. Except one thing: sharing and syncing.
The document sharing between computer and ipad through iTunes->iPad->Apps->App (in second! list) is just overcomplicated and does not even allow real synchronisation. That way of sharing breaks logical document coupling as well (by-project, for example). The way of sharing documents between apps is limited as well and it forces me to have duplicates... There many other little things.
I think (and strongly hope) that this is just a transient period. Looks like Apple would like to get rid of classical file system "feel" on the user's side. They either have no human friendly solution yet (measured on Apple standards) or want to do it step-by-step, so users can accommodate to changes gradually.
iCloud is application/document type based storage, iPad is application based file storage. They even added a view to finder: "All My Files", which also hides classical file system way of browsing files.
I do not think that Apple is done with file management evolution. But I feel, that the classical hierarchical file system structure is not the way to go in the cloud based file system...Consider not only your document syncing, but also synchronized file sharing with custom categorization...
Dropbox's idea of the cloud is file based. Apple's idea of the future of computing (iOS and iCloud) is no files, you just assume apps will use the cloud. It's clunky because it's not what we are used to, nor the app makers.
I'm not so sure their long term view of the cloud is necessarily "file based" (although it's debatable what that means specifically).
Dropbox was originally IIRC developed by a college student who had the problem of sharing files easily between his home and college computers, dropbox was a solution to that.
In the long term however , they have more or less solved the basic problem of syncing files and used this to provide revenue to move into the future.
I see a good business model for them could be to provide a platform for developers to build things that may in the background be syncing files (I think it'll be a while before we have filesystemless servers especially since unix is build around the concept of files) but from the end user point of view are providing services like photo / calender sharing etc.
I have Apple ecosystem in my home and within couple of my friends. I just love how it all works together well. Except one thing: sharing and syncing.
The document sharing between computer and ipad through iTunes->iPad->Apps->App (in second! list) is just overcomplicated and does not even allow real synchronisation. That way of sharing breaks logical document coupling as well (by-project, for example). The way of sharing documents between apps is limited as well and it forces me to have duplicates... There many other little things.
I think (and strongly hope) that this is just a transient period. Looks like Apple would like to get rid of classical file system "feel" on the user's side. They either have no human friendly solution yet (measured on Apple standards) or want to do it step-by-step, so users can accommodate to changes gradually.
iCloud is application/document type based storage, iPad is application based file storage. They even added a view to finder: "All My Files", which also hides classical file system way of browsing files.
I do not think that Apple is done with file management evolution. But I feel, that the classical hierarchical file system structure is not the way to go in the cloud based file system...Consider not only your document syncing, but also synchronized file sharing with custom categorization...