Why don't people like DropBox? Let's ask ChatGPT

I've long been a user of Flickr for sharing my images with editors and colleagues. After the collapse of Fotopic in 2011, I sought out a more reliable platform and at the time Flickr was part of the Yahoo! giant. It was sold to the folks at SmugMug in 2018 and has well over 100 million registered members and more than 3.5 million new images uploaded daily. I also use it to host images on my various blogs, thereby preserving my paid Google space for the important stuff. 

Founded in 2007, Dropbox has experienced criticism and generated controversy for issues including security breaches and privacy concerns, yet seems to be the industry standard for sharing and distributing images and digital assets. Why is that?

Famous American whistleblower, Edward Snowden, warned against Dropbox saying it is "hostile to privacy" and urged users to "get rid of Dropbox".

So why do people get all excited about Dropbox? I find it clumsy and limiting. It's hard to include captions and EXIF and only stores files in the original size - which are usually way too big for online use. (But more about that later) 

So I asked that new font of all knowledge, ChatGPT. Here's what he/she/it told me.

There could be several reasons why some people don't like Dropbox, such as:

• Security concerns: Some people may be wary of Dropbox's security measures and how their data is stored and protected.
• Privacy concerns: Similarly, some people may not trust Dropbox with their personal data and may be uncomfortable with Dropbox's privacy policies.
• Cost: While Dropbox offers a free basic plan, it can be quite limited in terms of storage space, and upgrading to a paid plan can be expensive for some users.
• User interface: Some people may find the Dropbox interface confusing or unintuitive, making it difficult to use.
• Alternatives: With so many cloud storage options available, some people may simply prefer other services over Dropbox. (like Flickr)

Ultimately, whether or not someone likes Dropbox depends on their personal preferences and needs, as well as their trust in the service's security and privacy measures.

Okay, thanks ChatGPT. Now please tell me why some people prefer Flickr over DropBox?

Flickr and Dropbox are both cloud-based storage services that offer different features and benefits, so people's preferences may vary based on their specific needs. However, here are some reasons why some people may prefer Flickr over Dropbox:

• Image-centric focus: Flickr is primarily designed for sharing and storing photos, making it a great option for photographers or anyone who needs to store and organize large collections of images.
• Social features: Flickr offers social features that allow users to follow other photographers, discover new content, and connect with a community of other users who share their interests.
• Customizable privacy settings: Flickr allows users to customize their privacy settings, making it easy to control who can view and download their photos.
• Free storage space: Flickr offers 1,000 GB of free storage space, which is significantly more than Dropbox's free plan, making it a great option for users who need to store a large number of photos.
• Unlimited photo resolution: Flickr does not compress photos like Dropbox, so users can store and share high-resolution images without sacrificing quality.

Overall, while Dropbox is a great option for general file storage and sharing, Flickr may be a better choice for users who primarily need to store and share photos.

That seems like a reasonable summation. What are your thoughts?

Related posts: How to download images from Flickr || How to send graphic files online