OneDrive changes aren't that big a deal. Microsoft's stubborness is.

[EssThree]

I'm sure everyone here is familiar with the controversy surrounding Microsoft's recent change to how OneDrive works in Windows 10. Personally, I don't think the change is THAT big a deal. It's annoying, but I can live with it. To me, the real problem is Microsoft not budging on the issue.

Windows 10 was supposed to be about Microsoft taking a step away from the "You'll take what we give you and you'll like it" attitude that was prevalent during Windows 8's development and release. It was supposed to be about Microsoft taking onboard comments and criticism to improve Windows for all of us. But Microsoft's response to the thousands upon thousands of comments disliking the changes made to how OneDrive functions in Windows 10 shows that they're still going to bulldoze ahead with things they want to do, and we can just take it.

I'm concerned that this will once again put people off side and Windows 10 will start getting a reputation for pushing a "it's my way or the highway" sentiment and alienating customers like Windows 8 had. I hope I'm wrong and this is a one off. We'll see.

 

[Jas00555]

You're ignoring the fact that while Windows 10 is for power users who like the feature, the masses have decided that they don't like the feature and Microsoft can't just make Windows 10 all about the power users.

I also think you only read about half the issue. Microsoft isn't stripping the entire thing, they've just said that the old way isn't coming back. They're going to introduce new features and see how people react to those.

The only thing "my way or the highway" is getting rid of smart files as they were in Windows 8, but it has no bearing on how it will be in the future.

Personally, I would like to see them color code things like green for offline or green for online only. That seems like it would please both crowds.

 

[drjekel_mrhyde]

They at least could give people the option of using it the old way.

 

[jnjroach]

Not if they are merging the backend systems to comply with OneDrive for Business. OneDrive (consumer) doesn't adhere to any of the regulatory requirements but OneDrive for Business does...

 

[Teeeerex]

Personally, I would like to see them color code things like green for offline or green for online only. That seems like it would please both crowds.

Too bad then that nothing online (and not offline) is shown in a folder (which itself has to be available offline to be shown) to color code in any way or color, with this new great approach. Which also goes to show how much you understand what the issue is here.

 

[Giffdev]

Hey friends, while I don't work on OneDrive ​specifically, I am one of the engineers working on Windows 10, and I wanted to reassure you all that the engineers like me definitely care about your feedback! I can't promise that everyone's favorite feature will make it into the final product, but I can definitely say that we're here and we're listening to you! Plus, the great thing about the tech preview is that we get to share things early with you for the purpose of making sure the final product is as great as we can make it Thanks again to everyone who's a Windows Insider

 

[several potatos]

Hey friends, while I don't work on OneDrive ​specifically, I am one of the engineers working on Windows 10, and I wanted to reassure you all that the engineers like me definitely care about your feedback! I can't promise that everyone's favorite feature will make it into the final product, but I can definitely say that we're here and we're listening to you! Plus, the great thing about the tech preview is that we get to share things early with you for the purpose of making sure the final product is as great as we can make it Thanks again to everyone who's a Windows Insider

You're really working on W10?!
I-I love you

 

[EssThree]

Thanks for everyone's replies! I forgot to subscribe to the thread after I posted it so I'm just seeing them now XD

I really appreciate your response, Giffdev! I'm sure all the people working on the software are juggling many balls, trying to keep not just end users happy, but also managers in the company. I think the direction MS has been going in the past two years is great, it's just hard not to worry the ship won't suddenly change course again haha

Edit: Also I've had too much time on my hands, so I'm worrying a lot about stuff that isn't that big a deal in general. Maybe I should just take a chill pill? haha

 

[dgr_874]

I sure hope they pull something out of thin air to make Onedrive work like it used to. Smart Files was what made the whole thing worth it. Its what made me pay for a subscription and kept me in the Microsoft world. If it ends up only working the new way, ill have to find a new way to store and use my files.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

I sure hope they pull something out of thin air to make Onedrive work like it used to. Smart Files was what made the whole thing worth it. Its what made me pay for a subscription and kept me in the Microsoft world. If it ends up only working the new way, ill have to find a new way to store and use my files.

Point me to the next cloud service that provides unlimited storage for around 70$ a year for 3 people. Because that's what you get if you go to Amazon.

 

[dgr_874]

Point me to the next cloud service that provides unlimited storage for around 70$ a year for 3 people. Because that's what you get if you go to Amazon.

Unlimited storage is worthless to me if I can't tell what files are on what devices. Just do a search anywhere to see how much this change angers people.

 

[neo158]

I'm sure everyone here is familiar with the controversy surrounding Microsoft's recent change to how OneDrive works in Windows 10. Personally, I don't think the change is THAT big a deal. It's annoying, but I can live with it. To me, the real problem is Microsoft not budging on the issue.

Windows 10 was supposed to be about Microsoft taking a step away from the "You'll take what we give you and you'll like it" attitude that was prevalent during Windows 8's development and release. It was supposed to be about Microsoft taking onboard comments and criticism to improve Windows for all of us. But Microsoft's response to the thousands upon thousands of comments disliking the changes made to how OneDrive functions in Windows 10 shows that they're still going to bulldoze ahead with things they want to do, and we can just take it.

I'm concerned that this will once again put people off side and Windows 10 will start getting a reputation for pushing a "it's my way or the highway" sentiment and alienating customers like Windows 8 had. I hope I'm wrong and this is a one off. We'll see.

We need to remember that this isn't Windows 10 but a Technical Preview, I'm willing to bet that the missing functionality will be replaced by some interesting new functionality by the time it's released. You need to remember that Microsoft respond to far more than feedback through the Windows Insider app and forums, they also use telemetry from both the Preview and previous versions of Windows to alter, remove and add functionality into the OS.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Unlimited storage is worthless to me if I can't tell what files are on what devices. Just do a search anywhere to see how much this change angers people.

Easy way to tell if a file is on your device with Windows 10's OneDrive. Do you see it in your file explorer? Good, it's on your computer.

Also, they had to get rid of Smart Files for technical reasons. People complaining about it didn't make those reasons any less real.

 

[dgr_874]

Easy way to tell if a file is on your device with Windows 10's OneDrive. Do you see it in your file explorer? Good, it's on your computer.

Also, they had to get rid of Smart Files for technical reasons. People complaining about it didn't make those reasons any less real.

So if I need to find a file that's not on my computer, what then? I need to go to OneDrive on a web interface? What kind of crap is that? Oh ok, I can just search for it. Wait, what did I name that picture again? Oh ya, its an auto named pic with numbers and letters ill never remember. Absolutely brilliant Microsoft. If they weren't happy with smart files then why did they even implement it? They knew there was issues and yet they made a huge deal out of how awesome they were. Now all of a sudden, they are no good at all. Amazing how that can happen in less than two years.

I still hold out faith that the biggest computer software company can come out with some solution that will work for everyone. But that faith is wearing thin fast.

 

[jasqid]

So if I need to find a file that's not on my computer, what then? I need to go to OneDrive on a web interface? What kind of crap is that? Oh ok, I can just search for it. Wait, what did I name that picture again? Oh ya, its an auto named pic with numbers and letters ill never remember. Absolutely brilliant Microsoft. If they weren't happy with smart files then why did they even implement it? They knew there was issues and yet they made a huge deal out of how awesome they were. Now all of a sudden, they are no good at all. Amazing how that can happen in less than two years.

I still hold out faith that the biggest computer software company can come out with some solution that will work for everyone. But that faith is wearing thin fast.

I have to agree with that. I hate when they develop something and then totally reverse or abandon what they started. Like this... And windows phone hubs.

I swear we've seen this implementation before... It was called live mesh and was dropped for SkyDrive when they purchased it.

 

[Nicholas Maguire]

I'm positive that what they're working on will be better than smart files and everything. It's just not done. It'll be something for everyone.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

So if I need to find a file that's not on my computer, what then? I need to go to OneDrive on a web interface? What kind of crap is that? Oh ok, I can just search for it. Wait, what did I name that picture again? Oh ya, its an auto named pic with numbers and letters ill never remember. Absolutely brilliant Microsoft. If they weren't happy with smart files then why did they even implement it? They knew there was issues and yet they made a huge deal out of how awesome they were. Now all of a sudden, they are no good at all. Amazing how that can happen in less than two years.

I still hold out faith that the biggest computer software company can come out with some solution that will work for everyone. But that faith is wearing thin fast.

Do it's now their fault that you either can't be bothered to organize or even name your own files? Because if you knew what folder it was in, you could always use the sync tool to get that folder. No need to go to the website at all.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

I have to agree with that. I hate when they develop something and then totally reverse or abandon what they started. Like this... And windows phone hubs.

I swear we've seen this implementation before... It was called live mesh and was dropped for SkyDrive when they purchased it.

And the implementation they were using needed to be changed again for technical reasons. They figured out that if they want to let people have small storage devices, and unlimited storage, thru had to change it.

 

[lparsons21]

The change they made is very irritating.

Supposedly when you upgrade to the W10TP, the OneDrive was supposed to sync and only offline files would show in File Manager. But if your folder already had stuff in it, it would tell you that they were there and to delete them and it would re-sync. That didn't happen!

When I followed the instructions and deleted the ones they said to, it proceeded to delete them off my OneDrive online. Fortunately for me I'm very anal about backups and had all of it on an external HD here and just redid it. That worked, and with the little I have there, wasn't too onerous.

What should have happened was File Manager showing only offline and doing the initial sync properly. And also keep the modern UI OneDrive app to look on the site. I cannot see any reason at all that the OneDrive app was deprecated in W10.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

The change they made is very irritating.

Supposedly when you upgrade to the W10TP, the OneDrive was supposed to sync and only offline files would show in File Manager. But if your folder already had stuff in it, it would tell you that they were there and to delete them and it would re-sync. That didn't happen!

When I followed the instructions and deleted the ones they said to, it proceeded to delete them off my OneDrive online. Fortunately for me I'm very anal about backups and had all of it on an external HD here and just redid it. That worked, and with the little I have there, wasn't too onerous.

What should have happened was File Manager showing only offline and doing the initial sync properly. And also keep the modern UI OneDrive app to look on the site. I cannot see any reason at all that the OneDrive app was deprecated in W10.

My guess is that the current OneDrive app won't work with the change in sync engine and they decided to temporarily take it out as opposed to have it in and be useless.