Dropbox for Linux

Dropbox is a very useful service that lets you store and share files online. This download lets you synchronise these files with a computer so that they are available when there is no internet connection. Other versions are available for Windows and Mac.

The standard Dropbox account offers 2GB with no fee, while 50GB and 100GB accounts are available at US$10 and US$20 a month respectively.

Installation is straightforward. Launch this download and the Software Manager will check to make sure all the requirements are met and then install it. The first time it is run from the Programs menu, it will download the Dropbox daemon. This is the software that sits in the background and keeps all the files up to date.

Once this has been installed the Dropbox wizard will start. Just like the Windows version it offers the chance to sign up for Dropbox if you don't already have an account. The name for this computer can also be set.

By default a folder called Dropbox is created in your home folder. The location can be changed if you want, but there is no reason to. As Dropbox integrates into the Ubuntu file manager, a restart is needed to complete the installation.

A Dropbox icon will now appear in the Notification Area to show that you are logged in and a green tick will appear when all files have been synchronised.

The download linked from this article is for Ubuntu 9.10 32bit. Other versions can be found on the Linux download page. There are downloads for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Ubuntu 9.10, 9.04, 8.10, 8.04 and 7.10, and Fedora Core 10 and 9. The source code can also be downloaded from this page for use with other versions of Linux.

The Linux download page also has information on installing Dropbox on computers that don't use the Nautilus file manager (the default on Ubuntu) and a link for adding Dropbox to your repository list. This will make Dropbox available in the Software Store