As a Mac user and developer, I’ve been looking for good alternatives to DropBox for on-line backup and sync, since I found myself dragging all kinds of configure files and directories into DropBox and then linking to them from their original paths. This move-and-link scheme is just too awkward to bear as more and more scattered files and directories are involved.

Today, I stumbled upon SugarSync which seems very promising. The most outstanding advantage of SugarSync over DropBox is its flexibility to backup/sync any folders. You can see the detailed comparison between SugarSync and other prominent competitors here.

However, just before I set out to download SugarSync Manager 1.6.2 for Mac (Beta), I glimpsed the Known Issues¹, and one of them scared the pants off me. It said:

If you are using a mac that has been formatted with a case-sensitive filesystem instead of the default case-insensitive filesystem, SugarSync may not function properly due to incorrect case of paths.

I am definitely one of those implied idiots that formatted their effeminate Macs with Case-Sensitive filesystems just to show more masculine. Fine, in fact, I am a 6-year-old Linux user. Whatsoever, what on earth makes you developers resist case-sensitivity so much that you prefer to turn down your peer Unix developers²? Are you as arrogant as Adobe?

I am also a coward who dare not to take a risk. What do you mean by “may not function properly“?³ Will it damage my original data, or just refuse to backup them? And why don’t you just say “SugarSync does not support case-sensitive filesystems (right now), so do not use SugarSync on them.”?

What if I took the risk and lost my data? So then you can disclaim “We have warned you that it may not function properly. You made the decision. You take the responsibility.”?

I think there are some basic moral code that a properly functioning vendor should follow:

• For cases where your product function perfectly, proudly announce them and dutifully guarantee them.
• For cases where your product does not function perfectly, describe the deficiencies clearly.
• For cases you are not sure, confess candidly that even you are not sure and advise users against using it in those cases.
• Never make any cunning disclaimers, because, you see, weasel words “may not function properly“, or even hurt your prospects.