Got some truly wonderful and detailed feedback from Nate in Ohio about how he uses Hordit. Nate is a newer Hordit user that has really jumped in with both feet and we appreciate his taking the time to send us a note. Maybe his description of how he's using Hordit will help others to see new uses for the site.
As always - we want to hear YOUR story. Tell us how you use hordit by sending a note to mbrown@hordit.com.
"Most of all, it's a great free solution for file backup. In addition to my
Mac at home, I use a Windows computer every day at work, and a different Windows
computer three times a week at school. So I use about five different machines a
week, plus I have Windows Vista installed on my Mac on a separate partition and
since the two partitions can't share files with each other, it is like a sixth
(virtual) computer. So I need an easy way to make my files accessible to me on
all these different machines that is cross platform and doesn't require me to
install a client on each machine. I also don't want to port an external hard
drive around with me. I use a flash drive but it only holds four gigs of data,
and is small and easily lost. I've lost it or forgotten it a few times already.
So with Hordit, I always have access to everything I need on every computer.
Every time I finish a school project, I upload it to Hordit in case I forget my
flash drive. At work, I upload all my projects to Hordit in case I ever need to
work from home or somebody needs a file that only I have access to and I'm not
in the office. At home, I upload pictures to Hordit so I can get to it when I
boot up into Windows to use Photoshop. Since Hordit is free and gives you
unlimited storage, there's no other file backup/storage utility on the web that
compares. Eventually I plan to upload all of my files to Hordit so everything is
backed up. Everything new I download, I send to Hordit. Once a bulk uploader is
available, this will be even easier.
Another thing I'm using Hordit for is saving things for later, which is of
course one of its primary purposes but I mean it in a slightly different
context. For instance, I don't yet have an iPod Touch. Yet I started a group for
iPod Touch apps on Hordit. This is because I plan to get one with my tax refund
in a few months. So I've started saving any web sites and articles I find about
good iPod/iPhone apps so that when I get it, I know where to go to load it up.
By using Hordit, everything is consolidated in one place rather than having
articles starred in Google reader, magazine articles scanned into Evernote and
web pages bookmarked on Google Bookmarks or Later Loop. Plus by making it a
group, hopefully others will share with me what they find too, thus expanding my
collection even more. So when I get that iPod, I'll know where to go to load it
up with cool apps.
Similarly, I have a Windows Mobile phone. All the free apps I download for
it, I'll back up to Hordit, along with all the great sites I find for it. This
way I'll have a back up and by sharing with others, hopefully will get more
shared back with me.
I store Firefox extensions I find on Hordit. This way when I install it on
my Mac Firefox, next time I boot up in Windows I can install on that Firefox and
when I run my Firefox Portable off my flash drive in class, I can install there
too and I'll know where to go to find it. The same works for Photoshop add ons
while I'm on the Mac partition, or Mac apps while I'm in Windows, Windows apps
while in Mac OS, etc.
There are also several uses for Hordit that other services also do and some
do certain things better at this early stage in the game. But Hordit puts
everything together in one place rather than three or four. That makes up for
what its lacking. And with the Hordit toolbar, I don't have to leave the page
I'm on to do anything with Hordit. Some other services do that also, but not in
quite the same way and with any other services, anything that would involve
uploading files always has to be done through the web page.
Hordit also gives me an easy way to share things. On top of the benefit of
the social networking aspect that will become more robust as Hordit draws more
users, it also makes it easier for me to share with people I know. I may be
telling somebody about this great website I found or an article I saved.
Everything I've ever found is right there in Hordit from any computer I go to so
I can download it or email it to somebody. Once again, the benefit of
consolidation. I don't have multiple sources where I'm storing different things
as I do now, and Hordit makes it easier to share than some other services I use.
Having access to it on my cell phone would make it almost perfect.
So Hordit has a wide array of uses that involve every part of my life. As
time goes on and Hordit matures, I think it will become more convenient to use
and will eventually begin to replace or supplement other services I currently
use. Or it may just carve out its own niche. It already offers an experience
that no other file storage site does, or at least not as well as Hordit. Office
Live Workspace is marred with technical problems and never works, Evernote has
its limitations, Glide OS is tedious and slow to use, Picasa Web has its
limitations as well. All of these services and more could eventually be
consolidated into one place with Hordit.
As I mentioned earlier, Hordit is also fun to use. I find myself looking
for things to upload to it. It has a cleaner, more pleasant interface than other
services I use. It doesn't have the utilitarian feel of most of those other
services. It also doesn't have the upload or storage space limitations of most
of those services so I can feel free to go crazy with it. It's even easier to
use. That is one area the designers have really done well, the interface. Again
there are some little ways it could be even better, such as thumbnails of your
web pages like Tizmos and of your images like any photo sharing service. But
again, I believe all that will come in due time. In the meantime, I'm really
enjoying Hordit and I'm very impressed with how it looks, feels and how well it
works this early in the game, with seldom a hiccup in service. I look forward to
seeing how it develops.
Nate - Hilliard, OH "
