The power of online file sharing
There used to be a time when online file sharing was synonymous to a word: Rapidshare. Unfortunately the days are gone when Rapidshare used to be free and there were giveaways for premium accounts. As the need for online storage increased, the need for more file sharing hosts increased. More and more websites started offering storage space, some for free and others at a yearly or monthly charge. There are a lot of factors on which selection of a file sharing host may depend upon. The following points talk about some such factors.
Difference between email and online file sharing
Yes, definitely, when you attach a file while mailing you are effectively storing that file on the server of the email service provider. But this is quite different from online file sharing. You cannot send a person a link to that file so that they may download it at their leisure. You have to manually send them via an email and only then will they receive it. Also, most common email service providers disallow the transfer of .exe files due to virus issues. This is not so in case of file sharing.
What exactly happens?
When you upload a file to an online file sharing website, the file is stored on their servers. The site will provide you with a unique link which you may distribute amongst those whom you want to send the file. They can simply visit the link and download the file independently.
What to look for in a file sharing host?
a) Total Storage
The total storage is the total amount of space that the host is offering per account. Normally this is in GBs (Gigabytes). Please remember that free accounts have a policy of removing their files if that file has not been downloaded for a stipulated period of time, normally 1 or 2 months. Space in the virtual world is costly hence be sure to use it properly.
b) Upload File size
The maximum size of a file that is available for download varies greatly from host to host. Most free accounts offer a maximum of 200 MB for each file. If the file you want to upload is bigger than that then you can use a readily available file splitter which splits the file into smaller parts for upload. Paid premium accounts however may allow for bigger files to be uploaded at a time.
c) Upload Bandwidth
Sure they allow you to upload 200 MB at a time, but do you know how long it takes to upload 200 megabytes? Even on a good broadband line? That actually depends on the upload bandwidth that the company is offering. Now it is only fair that the paid premium users get maximum bandwidth (quoted as unlimited but it’s not possible to exceed your broadband’s bandwidth). So a 200 MB file for a free user may take as much as 4 to 5 hours whereas to a premium user it may take 20 minutes or lesser.
d) File lifespan
If you are a paid user then your file will stay in the host’s database for as long as you keep on paying them. As was mentioned before, space on the web has a price. So files uploaded by free users are scrapped if they are not downloaded in a period of time, no questions asked. Some hosts provide a definite number of downloads to each file, usually 10. This means that one file uploaded can be downloaded by 10 different users or the same user 10 times. Most free downloads will feature ads and a waiting time before you can download a file. Some hosts allow only one download a day (rapidshare), others may increase the time gaps between multiple downloads.
e) Security
This is an extremely important feature to look at if you are into serious file sharing. That is if you do not want anyone and everyone to view or download your files. Now this feature is completely restricted to paid users and for good reasons. Lots of security checks are provided by hosts so that your files reach only those whom you want to send to. Password security, Identity analysis and other forms are security may be used for this kind. Some hosts even provide file tracking so that you can see that the intended person received the file or not.
f) File types
Most hosts support all types of files including .exe, music files, video files, archives, documents, images etc. Some hosts provide album features for pictures and live streaming for audio and video files.
By Pete
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I was never big on file sharing because I’m just terrified of my computer catching something… I hate even downloading themes from places because I’m afraid I might get a virus… I can see why that’s saved for paid accounts but it really seems like it should apply to all accounts…
It might be nice to include a few reputable places to do file sharing in an article like this Good information on what to look for in a company and what to expect though
“file lifespan” rules are so annoying on a free account, especially the ones that have numerical limits instead of time based limits. luckily i don’t use this kind of thing often enough to have to invest in it because of that.
I don’t know if I agree with your concept that online space is “costly” if it was truly a treasured commodity there wouldn’t be millions of inactive websites online that no one visits and no one updates.