Thanks to ever-changing technology, people now have many different ways to share files. Some of these methods are easier and more cost-effective to implement than others, but they all get the job done. Whether you’re a novice to file sharing or an advanced user, you’ll find that you’ve used at least one or two of these methods to share files with others. File sharing isn’t a complicated concept at all, but the preferred method for sharing files changes from time to time. Here are the most common ways to share files with others.
Removable Media
In the old days, floppy disks were used to store and share information. Simply copy your files to the disk and hand it off to a friend or colleague. Then, along came CDs, DVDs, external hard drives, memory cards and flash drives. They each employ the same concept. You store your files on the removable storage device, remove the device from your system and hand it off to whoever needs the files.
Email and Instant Messaging
Email has been a popular way to share files ever since people began using email. Unfortunately, there are limits to what can be sent via email. Certain types of attachments are prohibited, and the size of the attachments is limited. This required users to seek out other ways to send large files to others, often having to pay for email services that were specifically designated for sending large files. Instant messaging offered a new perspective for file sharing, letting you know instantly whether a file was received. Again, this type of file sharing is limited by file type and attachment size.
P2P File Sharing
When P2P file sharing programs came along, many people jumped on board. The most notorious of these networks was Napster, but many other sites have followed suit since Napster’s demise. While people still enjoy these programs, many fear getting viruses and malware when exchanging files over unsecured servers.
Private Networks
Private networks offer a more secure alternative, and are one that many businesses use in order for employees, managers and clients to share and exchange files. Private networks are costly, though, and are an option that’s out of reach for many individuals and small businesses that can’t afford the extra expense. Private networks also require some degree of management, usually an IT department to make sure everything on the network is running smoothly.
Cloud Storage
Finally, the age of cloud storage is here and is increasing in popularity every day as people discover how easy and convenient it is to use. Cloud storage offers some of the same security features as a private network without the costs. It makes files available to both onsite and remote workers, and their ability to retrieve and alter files is based on the settings of their user account.
All of these methods are still used to share files today, but the trend is toward easy-to-use, secure methods for exchanging files. As people expect greater levels of security, cloud services will improve to offer better control of user accounts and tracking document use. Cloud storage is the preferred file sharing method for most mobile users.
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