May I share files I store on iCloud with other users?
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)
Welcome to the Apple community.
Unfortunately, you can't do that, that isn't the purpose of iCloud. You might wish to look at a third-party solutions to do this, such as dropbox or sugarsync.
I'm REALLY disapointed in Apple for dropping this service...I used it frequently to share large presentations with my team. I'm a loyal Apple user and shouldn't be pawned off to third parties for services they should be providing!
Who say's they should be providing such a service?
Surely it is Apple's decision whether or not they invest the time and money to provide any product or service?
If you take the time to evaluate the most popular third-party file sharing offerings, you'll quickly discover they are far better than iDisk ever was. That's possibly why Apple decided they don't want to be in that market anymore. Steve Jobs has said Apple don't do things unless they can significantly improve on what is already offered.
And, your so-called "loyalty" is irrelevant. If another company came along and offered what you need better and cheaper than Apple does, you'd soon switch your loyalties.
Should or shouldn't is irrelevant, MobileMe was a paid for service and provided this facility. It is now almost impossible to share files easily between Macs. In fact, Apple Support told me today that it can't be done between a 10.7 machin and a 10.6 machine.
It is harder to share files now (and certainly not at all intuitive) than it has been since I was using System 6 and localtalk/appletalk. Perhaps this should be addressed? It has nothing to do with cheapness or loyalty, but networks and file sharing are de feacto in modern computing. Apple appears to be going very far backwards in this respect.
MobileMe is dead. What it used to do is irrelevant now.
"Almost impossible to share files easily between Macs"? What on earth are you talking about???
It is INCREDIBLY easy to share files between Macs, (and PCs and Macs on different versions of OS X) probably easier than it has ever been due to the increasing number of apps and other services that provide such a feature, and are improving all the time.
OK, so how does one do this incredibly easy sharing then? I tried and completely failed to share a folder between to Macs, one on 10.6 and one on 10.7. Even Apple support said these two OS's were incompatible for file sharing.
As you can see, Apple's own kb on the subject suggest using the obsolete iDisk, Zip and floppy disk, as well as simply burning CDs as the preferred option!
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4598
Apple also suggested that the only way to share files would be to purchase Pages, convert them to this format, save to iCloud… which even then might not work on the older machine. Some of the files in the folder may not save to the iCloud (and they could not tell me which). You cannot share a folder via iCloud, only files out of each of their respective applications. This is a completely backwards step in the history of modern computing.
See if this page helps: it was written before Lion but the basic method should be much the same.
http://www.wilmut.webspace.virginmedia.com/notes/sharing.html
The Apple Tech Note you linked to also links to this page on file sharing:
You haven't mentioned if these two Macs are on the same local network or on different networks. Either way it is still easy.
If they are on the same local network, then you just use the built-in OS X networking which works across all versions of OS X. You can share individual files, folders or whole disks. This is a standard feature of OS X right from the very first version 10+ years ago. How Apple Support don't know about this I can't imagine.
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4356?viewlocale=en_US
At work we have a range of Macs running versions of OS X from 10.4 to 10.8 and use the built-in networking all day long for sharing files between all those Macs.
For computers and mobile devices on different networks you can use any of the proliferation of Internet based file sharing services. My personal choice is Dropbox, but there are numerous others such as Google Drive, Skydrive, SugarSync etc. For these you simply drop a file into the shared folder and it syncs it (almost instantly depending on Internet speed) to the same folder on all your other connected computers. We also use Dropbox at work between Macs and PCs in different offices and it works incredibly well.
File sharing between computers (even different OSs) has never been easier!
They are on the same network, yes, but I do also use file sharing across different networks, which as the original comment points out, is no longer possible for the first time in 14 years on Mac OS.
File sharing does NOT work between 10.6 and 10.7 machines and I have had this confirmed by Apple support. The recommended method of sharing files is via the defunct iDisk, Zip, Floppy or burning CDs - this is the kb on the subject of sharing Lion files:
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4598
This is a current (July 2012) article and I had this farcical article corroborated by Apple support.
When networking across a large network, each person having dropbox is completely impractical from an IT point of view. It takes ages to set up brand new dropbox accounts across all the machines. It used to be, switch on file sharing and go. You are suggesting that using a myriad of different third party solution is easier than built in networking? It is not (and never will be, ever). I cannot access a dropbox without an account. What if someone has a google drive - I have to create yet another account, and we get into a privacy and legal quagmire about content ownership.
File sharing our own files across our own network creates no such issues. Therefore, file sharing across Macs has never been harder or more fraught with legal and technical issues as it is today.
If you don't know what you are talking about, please do not add to this thread, we are trying to gain clarity and insight, as well as constructive solutions to the Mac file sharing failures of the Lion OS.
Back to the original thread, the iDisk service was a brilliant and elegant solution (and how many years ahead of the other cloud so called cloud solutions?)- more elegant and integrated than any of your suggestions. I concur with the original poster in that iCloud is crap, and would add that it is a cynical piece of software that ultimately (as I have discovered recently) hinders, not enhances the user experience.
This is against the fundamental ethos of the original Macs and OS design. If you are going to once again make an irrelevant or subjective comment, or out of your scope of knowledge, please first read up on the Apple GUI guidelines as a start point at least.
Ok, whatever... clearly we're wasting our time with you. You're obviously too stubborn to listen to people far more knowledgable and experienced than yourself, and way too incompetent to follow simple instructions from Apple on how to share files across a local network. Pity for you.
So, you carry on making up non-existent issues and whinging about the demise of iDisk 18 months after the fact, and in the meantime, we'll carry on being productive, sharing our files across multiple computers, multiple OSs and multiple networks, with an ease, speed and reliability never seen using iDisk File Sharing.
Have fun.
Nathan Jones2 wrote:
...this is the kb on the subject of sharing Lion files:
... and it says
Copy files over an Ethernet network or wireless network.
Share your computer with others on your network
That link says:
File sharing
You can set up your computer to share your entire computer with everyone, or restrict the sharing service to allow specific users access to only certain folders. You can share files using Apple Filing Protocol (AFP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), or Server Message Block (SMB) protocol.
Share files with others on your network
And that link says:
You can set up your computer to share files and folders with other users on your network. You can share your entire computer with everyone, or allow specific users access only to certain folders.
and gives further instructions.
If you want to try online sharing you might like to look at SugarSync:
https://www.sugarsync.com/products/sync_sharing.html
- this page says:
Collaborate with shared folders
SugarSync keeps all your shared files up-to-date and in sync for powerful collaboration with your virtual team. With folder sharing, you can collaborate on projects by giving a person, or a group of people, access to a shared folder on your computer. No more wasting time emailing individual files and tracking the latest versions. Just send an email invitation to your clients, coworkers, or family members to join your folder.
Sync folders of information across teams
Folder members can sync a shared folder directly to their own computers. Any member of a shared folder can have their own copy of the folder on their own computer. Folder members can edit files locally. Updates are reflected for everyone as soon as the file is saved.
I've not tried this so you would need to investigate to see whether it suited your requirements.
There is also a new program, Cloud App, which makes sharing files simple: it runs as a background process and you just drag files to the menu bar icon. Storage is with Heroku and Amazon: it's free with a limit of 10 files per day, maximum 25MB per file, $45 per year for unlimited files, maximum 250MB per file.
Another possible option is YouSendIt. It provides the facility for you to upload files and send an email to a recipient telling them how to download it: and it's also possible with all but the free plan for others to upload a file for you. The free version allows you to send a maximum file size of 50MB with no upload by others: $9.99 per month gets you 2GB sized files in either direction, and there are upgraded plans.
Julian, there is no whatever, you have not offered anything constructive here. I am not whinging. I am agreeing with the orginal post as to the usefulness of iDisk and surprise that the iCLoud does not offer an equivalent or improvement.
Your 'ease' and 'speed' comments are nonsense without any useful information to back them up. I have connected Macs with relative 'ease' and 'speed' for many years, but 10.7 is proving to be **** and does not like to connect to anything.
As for experience, I've used Macs since 1986. The file sharing procedure DOES NOT WORK for 10.7 to 10.6 machines - which you have ignored. Please do not post any more of your nasty comments as you are the one who is clearly inexperienced with this.
If you continue to to do so, I will contact the forum admins and make a complaint about your comments.
Hi Roger, rhanks for your input. Third party 'cloud' services are not relevant because of legal issues surrounding ownership of content, also, they are expensive and much slower than traditional file sharing. We are sharing large files. Our Macs have plenty of hard disk space - specifically for this purpose of sharing certain project folders.
YouSend it is a static file sharing - we need to collaborate with a folder. Since 1996, we have done this file sharing.
To clarify the problem - which in part seems to be lack of information on the Apple kbs. You provided this link:
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4598
And if I click the link regarding ethernet/wireless sharing:
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH3743?viewlocale=en_US
And then the file sharing link in that page…
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH4356?viewlocale=en_US
3 linked kb's and it still doesn't say how to connect to this machine.
Lion machines seem not to be able to connect in the same way that our other machines have done - back to System 7. This is the issue we are facing.
The original post made absolutely no reference to iDisk or any comments on its usefulness. I suggest you re-read it.
Funny how I am managing to use file sharing between Macs on all versions of OS X from 10.4 to 10.8 with zero problems. I have not experienced any issues between 10.7 and 10.6, either at home or work. Nor do I know of anyone who is.
Even if you are unable to get it working in your particular environment using the numerous Apple Support links we have provided you, both myself and Roger have offered you a number of tried and tested third-party alternatives, which you continue to ignore.
Go 'tell tales to mummy' if you want. The forum hosts can easily see who has been offering support links / alternative methods to disprove your ridiculous "almost impossible to share files on OS X" claim. And they can see it was you who started with the nastiness - accusing others of not knowing what they are talking about, when clearly they do and are attempting to help you.
Good bye.
sharing files with other mac users on iCloud
