We can just all use rsync, no need for an app.

Yep, I use rsync to sync files / directories between my desktop, laptop and even phone (Android). Also an external drive.

I ended up creating https://github.com/nickjj/bmsu which calls rsync under the hood but helps you build up a valid rsync command with no surprises. It also codifies each of your backup / restore strategies so you're not having to run massively long rsync commands each time. It's 1 shell script with no dependencies except rsync.

Nothing leaves my local network since it's all local file transfers.

Until I want to share with say… anyone that isn’t on HN :)

If you're not aware, the GP was a reference to the original Dropbox HN post, wherein BrandonM said, effectively, "why wouldn't I just use rsync?"

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863

I am pretty sure I knew that and forgot it and now I know it again :)

Just make a route on your web server, making all the files available with some long, impossible to guess, unique ID that can be shared. Like https://files.<your domain>/<id here>.

If they want to collaborate, they can just post the changed file, using the auth key you generated for them set in some header field, to https://files.<your domain>/<id here>, which could automatically increment revision numbers. Then you could access specific revisions with .../<id here>/rev/<revision>.

So much easier than installing an app! You could literally just use curl as the interface! (I kid)

Hah, yeah. I do have a one line CLI script to upload a file to S3, get a shareable link, and send it to me on ntfy.sh. And my family all have ntfy.sh so that honestly is viable for some things. But still, not really all that workable for many things. And only I have this power in my family

Then S3 is not going to be a lot better :)

Except that for macOS it uses the FileProvider Framework. So files that are rarely accessed get deleted from your local storage and synced back automagically when you access them. Saving space on your disk because on mac you can’t upgrade your ssd without a soldering iron.