https://khromov.se/dropbox-keeps-threatening-to-delete-my-files/

Stanislav Khromov

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Stanislav Khromov
Author

Stanislav Khromov

@khromov

Full-stack impostor syndrome sufferer & Software Engineer at
Schibsted Media Group

  *  
  *  
  *  

  * Home
  * Blog
  * Talks & Videos
  * Music

[                    ]
Latest posts

---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Guides & Tutorials

Svelte 5 brings up to 50% bundle size decrease for...

Posted by [b7b9035f7a] Stanislav Khromov on 10th Sep '24

Watch a video version of this blog post below! Svelte 5 brings a lot
of changes, from the new Runes-based syntax to deep...

 
Guides & Tutorials

Dockerizing Your SvelteKit Applications: A Practic...

Posted by [b7b9035f7a] Stanislav Khromov on 1st Sep '24

If you're looking to containerize your SvelteKit application, you've
come to the right place. In this post,...

 
Programming

Is Web Development About to Change?

Posted by [b7b9035f7a] Stanislav Khromov on 28th Aug '24

If you've been keeping up with web development trends lately, you've
probably heard buzzwords like React Server...

Copyright (c) Stanislav Khromov. 2024 * All rights reserved.

Slate WordPress Theme by EckoThemes. Published with WordPress.

Stanislav Khromov

Dropbox keeps threatening to delete my files

  * Personal
  * Stanislav Khromov
  * 17th Sep '24
  * 3 Min Read

---------------------------------------------------------------------
 

For the past two years, I've been on the receiving end of a passive
aggressive win-back campaign from Dropbox. The feud originally
started when I migrated away from Dropbox and hence stopped paying
for my subscription while leaving them saddled with over a terabyte
of my data to carry forever, like a camel in the digital desert.
After all, why wouldn't I? I was assured by their help forums that my
files would not be deleted, no matter what:

[Screenshot-2024-09-17-at-22]

However, this hasn't prevented Dropbox from trying to get me back. It
all started innocently enough:

[Screenshot-2024-09-17-at-22]

Thanks Dropbox, for letting me know and being there to help!
Unfortunately, I had no desire to reactivate my account. Over the
next couple of years, Dropbox has tried every trick in the book to
get me back - they've tried letting me know I'm "100x over the
limit", stating things are "pretty urgent" and that I have to "Open
ASAP". I also appreciate the haphazard use of punctuation and emojis
in this email chain. So far I've received over 50 emails. I'm
honestly a bit sad about the person who has to presumably sit and
come up with a new email title every week to keep cranking up the
tension. At this point, I'm half expecting them to show up at my
doorstep with a pleading look.

[Screenshot-2024-09-18-at-00]

Seeing as I was not impressed by being 100x over my limit, Dropbox
tried 500x next. Surely this would get my attention!

[Screenshot-2024-09-18-at-00]

When that didn't help either, Dropbox went back on its promise and
finally threatened to delete my files in a series of countdown emails
culminating with this 15 day reminder:

[Screenshot-2024-09-18-at-00]

They even tried setting a date!

[Screenshot-2024-09-18-at-01]

The date came and went, but conspicuously, my files were not deleted,
although the email linked to a more sternly worded support article
saying they would eventually delete data if over quota. Clearly the
policy had shifted, although the now incorrect answer is still the
top search result. So far though, Dropbox decided to just pretend
they never sent the previous email chain and went right back to their
previous tactic of strongly suggesting an upgrade.

[Screenshot-2024-09-18-at-00]

Logging into the web portal, Dropbox gleefully told me I can "Upload
anything", in a bright red alert box, ending with a "Upgrade for
more" button. But my files are still there, possibly waiting for when
the emails finally get to me and make me resubscribe again.

[Screenshot-2024-09-18-at-00]

What's the lesson here? Perhaps it's that we shouldn't trust
corporations to keep their word. Or maybe that promising to host
files in perpetuity for non-paying customers is a business model with
some obvious flaws. Regardless, I'm curious to see how long this
digital standoff will last. Will they eventually delete my files, or
will I be receiving increasingly desperate emails well into my
retirement years? Only time will tell!

Social share image generated using FLUX.

Personal

  * Share:
  *  
  *  
  *  
  *  
  *  

[b7b9035f7a375607ba727245e93e58bb]

Stanislav Khromov

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Full-stack impostor syndrome sufferer & Software Engineer at
Schibsted Media Group

  *  
  *  
  *  

View Comments

There are currently no comments.

Cancel Reply

[                    ]                         
[                    ]                         
[                    ]                         
[                    ]                         
[                    ] [                      ]

[ ] Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next
time I comment.

[Post Comment] 

 [                                             ] 
 [                                             ] 
 [                                             ] 
 [                                             ] 
 [                                             ] 
 [                                             ] 
 [                                             ] 
D[                                             ] 

 

Related post

Hello world!

  * 6th Jun '16


Personal
 
Next Post
Guides & Tutorials

Svelte 5 brings up to 50% bundle size decrease for existing Svelte 4
apps

Watch a video version of this blog post below! Svelte 5 brings a lot
of changes, from...