Would you use a saw to hammer a nail? It could be dangerous to make use of email to discuss files with others when it only leads to chaos and people utilizing the wrong version of the file.
Everybody knows the wisdom of ‘use the best tool for that job’ – to perform otherwise would be to invite confusion and lost files. It’s no different using the many options of online Internet-based tools: pick the right one and you job will be sped along to successful conclusion.
Email is definitely the #1 Internet application. Free mail services such as Yahoo Mail, Microsoft Hotmail and Google GMail are perennial favorites since they provide powerful mail capabilities, work from your browser or computer, and therefore are free. A lot of us still use PC-based mail programs like Microsoft Outlook.
However, regardless of what mail program you make use of, you will likely have used it at times to share files with friends or colleagues. It’s so tempting because it’s so simple – just attach the file thus hitting ‘Send’, and also the message is sent off to Samantha and Henietta. Not only that, but you can be assured they’ll notice it – it’ll be right at the top of their share an email as a link.
Or could you make sure? There are many potential hitches with sending files by email, along with a more pervasive problem when individuals slip into using their email programs as being a ‘filing system’ for dozens or countless file attachments they’ve received.
First, the possibility hitches in their mind even obtaining the file to start with:
1. Your email system or theirs might absolutely refuse to transmit the attachment because it’s too large or because virus protection software program is over zealous and stripping out attachments
2. Their email system may have spam filters that prevent them from ever seeing the email
3. Your email might get lost in their inbox – never noticed by them; only ultimately causing you being asked to ‘send it again please’
Second, the more pervasive problem when you and the colleague Samantha and Henietta slip into using email being a filing system. The problem is that email inboxes and folders top off with lots of emails with many attachments, and once you send a brand new version of a file, the existing version of the file never goes away completely – it’s also still there, lurking inside their email folders. It’s bipgkh too easy to allow them to mistakenly reference the incorrect version of the file. This is often a major supply of confusion, mistakes or worse.
There’s a much better way to share files with a number of groups than sending them via email attachments – post the files online right into a single file sharing website, where your colleagues have secure access to the files. This way, members always access the newest, most current version of the files.
There are a number of excellent online file sharing solutions for groups. The best provide various degrees of support for groups to set privacy levels therefore the files could only be accessed by group members who log in with passwords.
Some good methods to find directories of file sharing is to Google or Yahoo explore ‘file sharing directory’. Or Google on ‘CloudHQ. Free File Sharing’ for any free service.
The 3rd, is a straightforward-to-use system where you create a free account and organize your details in folders that you simply name whatever you like. Folders can contain files you upload, as well as native web documents you can create in CloudHQ. You determine the ‘sharing’ on the files and folders to control who sees what – so that your information is always as secure as you want. You can also grant edit rights to enable others in your group to upload files in to a folder for sharing.
