Dropbox to kill off public folders?
June 15, 2012 | Don Reisinger
The popular storage service is reportedly ditching its public folders after July 31, telling developers that they should make a change to their application functionality.
The new link feature on Dropbox.
Ed Rhee/CNET
Dropbox's public folders might soon be a thing of the past.
According to German site Mobiflip (Translate), Dropbox has e-mailed developers, informing them that as of August 1, public folders will no longer be supported by the service. Public folders will be officially replaced by a new Link feature the company announced in April, according to the e-mail.
"After July 31, we will no longer create Public folders in any new Dropbox accounts," the e-mail reportedly reads. "If your app depends on Public folders, we recommend switching to the /shares API call. Public folders in existing accounts, however, will continue to function as before."
Dropbox's public folders have become one of the easiest ways for users to share files over the Web. Users need only to drop the file into their public folder and direct folks to it, who can then download it. With the new links function, however, Dropbox users need to choose the "get link" option to share a file or folder with others.
Forum posters on Dropbox's site don't appear to be too pleased with the reported change. One user, Grant H., asked Dropbox to "reconsider."
"No way! Public folders gone?" the forum poster said. "I see they're trying to make this change very quietly, but this is going to bring some HUGE limitations to the way new Dropboxers can use their accounts."
CNET has contacted Dropbox for comment on the report. We will update this story when we have more information.
(Via The Verge)
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