suggestions please

[tookey]

My mom's labs have 9 computers between them. She's always getting confused and losing files and has poor computer organization, so i wanted to make a network drive so that she (and her post docs) can all save files onto one hard drive. This would also make it extraordinarily easy to reformat in case of tragedy. Here's the problem, the computers aren't on any good kind of network. The arkansas state network doesn't really act like a network, just more like an isp for the university, so is there anyway I can do this? Locally host some kind of dropbox server for all the computers or something? All I have to work with is extra hard drives and internet access.

[ZeroDamage]

Take a look at getdropbox.com, watch the video and tell me if you think this would work. They only give 2GB to start but if a nice request is sent to one of the developers, they will bump up your quota higher for you. If this looks like it will work for your mom, myself or John or someone will probably send you an invite.

[Playaa]

A non-free (but awesome) option would be Apple's Time Capsule. It's a hard drive built into a wireless router. Works for Windows pcs as well as Macs.

[boiler]

A non-free (but awesome) option would be Apple's Time Capsule. It's a hard drive built into a wireless router. Works for Windows pcs as well as Macs.

I haven't checked, but I'm guessing this solution is white in color and insanely overpriced

Edited August 14, 2008 by boilersax

[Playaa]

White, yes. Insanely overpriced. No...just overpriced.

$300 for a 500gb version, $500 for the 1tb version.

You could possibly build the system for yourself for free...but you wanted something easy...not much is easier than all-in-one products.

[ZeroDamage]

For that cost, you could get a NAS drive for cheaper and it will do the same thing. Not everything apple is the best at what it does.

[stutters]

i agree with zd, http://www.getdropbox.com.

 

mom: shares a folder with 9 post docs.

9 post docs: install dropbox on each workstation, plus any workstation at home.

 

the only limitation i could see would be if she doesn't want the students to access the files outside of the classroom. even if you installed the clients yourself, they'd be able to change the password and setup their own clients wherever they want. am i unnecessarily complicating things? god, i feel like such a windows user