Why wouldn't you use actual version control software, like svn or git?
Probably because Luke isn't a programmer and many of the people he works with would get confused by actual version control. Too much version control just gets in the way for some purposes.
Mind you the primary dropbox folder that he has shared with me (for LaTeX publishing stuff) actually contains a git repository which I use to share with the other publishing guys. I find that the extra complexity involved with git over dropbox is definitely worthwhile for things like working on templates but perhaps less useful for the routine stuff. Then for some use cases dropbox's (lack of) access control options just can't work for us.
Probably because Luke isn't a programmer and many of the people he works with would get confused by actual version control.
This is Luke, he should teach them version control. Perhaps a simple system like svn would be better than git (but it requires a dedicated server...)
The simple functionality alone - diff/merge tools, merge tracking, logs, tagging/branching, retrieving old revisions - is very empowering for any text-based collaboration. Programmers invented it, but that's no reason nonprogrammers shouldn't use it.
I haven't used dropbox beyond a brief...
I have often benefited from recommendations for Things I Didn't Know I Wanted.
Given that Less Wrong is a community of unusually intelligent, critical, and self-improvement-focused people, I suspect we can generate a pretty helpful thread of product recommendations — perhaps even a monthly thread of product recommendations.
Rules: