Joe Moody’s Web Adventures

I occasionally have people people ask me if there’s a better way to share large files than sending them through email. The fact is email is usually the worst way to share large files as many providers don’t accept emails larger than certain size, and it can dramatically slow down email software when the files are downloading.

A much better method is using an FTP server from a reliable FTP Hosting company. FTP, or file transfer protocol, is what webmasters have used for years to publish websites online. Basically it’s a way of moving files from your computer to a server (or uploading) and then someone else can retrieve the file from the server to their computer (downloading).

The better FTP hosts allow you to create private FTP folders for multiple people, each with their own unique login (username and password).  This allows, for instance a graphics company, to allow their clients to send them images, the graphics designers can then edit the images and then the customer can retrieve the finished product, without tying up the email.

The best FTP Hosting company I know of out there is OLI — they not only offer everything I described above but also offer access to Web-FTP which allows you full access to FTP folders to upload and download etc. using just your web browser. It’s so easy soon you’ll be uploading in your sleep.