Dropbox mistakenly installed a new desktop app on user devices without notice

[Polycount]

Everybody's favorite file-sharing and storage service, Dropbox, has made a few controversial changes as of late. As noticed by Ars Technica, earlier today the company began silently forcing its users to update to a new version of Dropbox, which includes a significantly reworked interface.

Dropbox's desktop presence used to be fairly simple: you had a Dropbox folder on your machine that you could add files to at will, and periodically, the folder would sync with your personal cloud storage account. This allowed you to easily move files between machines, or give your friends, family, or colleagues access to select portions of your data. The "new" Dropbox desktop experience is a dedicated app, which many users are understandably criticizing for being a bit overkill.

After all, as Ars notes, how many people really need (or want) an entire file manager for a single folder on their device? Based on the response this controversial change received, it's probably safe to say "not many."

It is worth noting that this new Dropbox app has been around for a while, but only in the form of a specific Early Access download. You needed to explicitly consent to download the new desktop app prior to today, but now, Dropbox has been pushing the update out to users without notice or consent.

Worse, on macOS, the new Dropbox app continuously implants a dedicated icon into user Docks. According to Dropbox, it "currently [isn't] possible" to permanently remove this icon.

All in all, this situation has been quite a mess -- however, it appears there may be an explanation for all of these surprise changes. Dropbox's Support Twitter account recently claimed the "new desktop app experience" had been "accidentally" installed on user machines.

We recently announced a new desktop app experience that is now available in Early Access. Due to an error, some users were accidentally exposed to the new app for a short period. We're currently working to revert this change. We apologize for any inconvenience.

— Dropbox Support (@DropboxSupport) July 18, 2019

Whether that's true or merely an attempt to backpedal in light of all the backlash is impossible to say. However, Dropbox promised to revert the change as soon as possible, and they apologized for the "inconvenience." As of writing, the company has kept its word.

The Support account now says "The issue with the Dropbox desktop app has been resolved, though there might be a short lag for some users to see resolution." If you were one of the users who had the new Dropbox app forcibly installed on your device, let us know in the comments if the issue has been fixed for you.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/81025-dropbox-mistakenly-installed-new-desktop-app-user-devices.html

 

[cliffordcooley]

With all the other **** being forced on us. This was no accident. Their statement of "accident" is backlash PR control and nothing else.

 

[retsxel]

With all the other **** being forced on us. This was no accident. Their statement of "accident" is backlash PR control and nothing else.

Exactly, there was no "accident" involved. It was a deliberate act.

This is why I use the web interface exclusively wherever possible or I just don't use a service..

 

[Mister_K]

With all the other **** being forced on us. This was no accident. Their statement of "accident" is backlash PR control and nothing else.

Exactly, there was no "accident" involved. It was a deliberate act.

This is why I use the web interface exclusively wherever possible or I just don't use a service..

Then you are hindering your productivity. What are you expecting, they will install a ****ing virus and risk reputation of their company. Yeezus ****...

 

[KeysTreasures]

Yes it's fixed. TG.

 

[DZillaXx]

A damn shame they reverted back.

We use dropbox at work, and the only person who actually clicks on the dropbox icon to open the folder notified me of the change. I showed him how to access it via file explorer like everyone else. So was never an issue.

But what I did like about it was it had everything you were forced to do through the web version in a faster nicer to use desktop app. IMO it was a better way to go about sharing files, or getting to versioning.

Why would anyone hate this? Dropbox is outdated enough as it is....
Why would you open drop box via the dropbox icon? When it is integrated into file explore... and you can setup quick access to anything important.


As for the mac users, forcing an icon on the dock would be annoying if I was looking at a minimal dock setup. So I get the hate.


I just wish they allowed for better control of online and offline folders, like if you haven't use something in over 60 days. Put the file into online mode. And ability to put folders two people are working in at the same time into a live mode. Sometimes it is easier just working out of a network drive when me and my co worker are working out of the same project file taking to the same database. When we both need to make changes to the database file at same time, doing it over dropbox isn't an option.

Just bring this update back please.