Dropbox on File Provider support for macOS questions

[AndyPas]

I'm reading quite a few threads on File Provider support for MacOS and I have some questions.

What exactly does this get me? It seems like a step backwards. I'm losing Dropbox Vault support and LAN Sync. I assume at some point, I will have no choice and Dropbox will force us to use File Provider support. Or will the existing sync method continue to work?

Second question. The KB article about it says that we will not get it if we have an external drive connected to our computer. Well, on one of my Macs, I have an external drive, but my Dropbox folder is not on it. Does this mean that I will never get File Provider support, or that I will only not get it, if I keep my Dropbox folder on the external drive?

Also, is File Provider support required across all my Macs?  Can I have File Provider support on one Mac and not the other?  Also, I have a Windows PC, and a Linux PC both which use the Dropbox client. Will that keep me from using this new File Provider support?

[Mark]

I suspect it will become mandatory because the change is being forced on us by Apple - it is doing the same with all cloud storage solutions and moving them in to a new folder structure. The change is caused by that not a Dropbox 'choice' as it were. 

In terms of if you need to do all devices, no, you dont. You could do 1 or 2 to trial and see how it goes and then roll out to others later. 

[AndyPas]

Well, neither of my 2 Macs say they are eligible and it doesn't tell me why. So, looks like I won't be using it anytime soon.

Not exactly sure what's going on here.

[anmipa]

Why do I want it?  What does it get me over traditional sync?

The lack of LAN sync really sucks. And not being able to keep my Dropbox folder on an external drive also sucks.

If I am giving up both those things, what am I getting in return to make my experience better?

[anmipa]

I don't think Apple is forcing anyone to use File Provider for MacOS. It's just a set of AIs that's available and clients can choose to use.

Plenty of Dropbox competitors don't use that API.

If this API genuinely brings something good to the table, I'd love to know what it is.

I believe it adds deeper Finder integration than what we have now. But I don't know if that's a benefit or not.

[Walter]

Hey @anmipa - thanks for using Dropbox and welcome to the Community!
 

You can see all the expected changes on the Dropbox for Mac OS on File Provider on this page.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

[anmipa]

I saw that page before. I don't see the benefit of using it.

As an en-user of Dropbox, how will this help me over the built in Dropbox sync?

[billgdbx]

File Provider is Apple's API for syncing going forward on their newer OS versions, and replaces the use of legacy means for supporting download-on-demand.  Dropbox users who have not yet opted into FP are running a version of sync that provides most, but not all of the functionality of Online-Only files.  Even that level of support is not guaranteed by Apple long-term, therefore all users on macOS will eventually need to move onto FP, or live in a world without download-on-demand (which is acceptable to some, but not all of our users--in particular those with more Dropbox than can fit on their local hard drive).  We're continuing to work towards delivering the full feature set for FP, including external drive support and more.

[AndyPas]

So if I don't care about Online-Only or File-On-Demand, File Provider for Mac OS really doesn't get me anything?

If I want all my files local all the time, then could I continue to use the legacy client and have access to LAN Sync? Or will that go away forever at some point and Dropbox will only support FP?

[billgdbx]

Unfortunately, that's getting into the realm of long-term Product strategy, etc, where I am surely incapable of commenting on a public forum!