[conspire] Receiving larger files from non-linux users?

[Rick Moen]

Quoting James Sundquist (sundquistjames at gmail.com):

> I have the static IP and server space.  A webserver is probably exactly
> what I need to setup.  Do you just rely on FTP?

My thanks to the several people who've taken whacks at James's question.

The general category we're talking about is described as 'sharing files'
of unwieldy size (digital photos, HD video, audio).  James appears to be
talking primarily about helping remote users he knows make their files
available to him -- or sending those files to him.

I note the usual words of doom:  'limited technical experience and a
proprietary operating system'.  Yeah, it drives you crazy, doesn't it?

If I'm working with a group of software developers, system
administrators, or even very modestly technical Linux users -- where
they're a limited number of people I know fairly well -- I can solve
the problem easily:  Give them shell accounts[1] on a Linux server
running a Web daemon.  They can then scp/sftp files in and out as they
please.  Simple.  Done.

However, add the qualifier 'limited technical experience and a
proprietary operating system' and suddenly the project requirements
become problematic and you start thinking about all manner of
overengineered crud.  

Probably the easiest solution to -that- problem is:  kill the users.
;->

If you want to build some sort of Dropbox clone, a list of possible
options are included at the bottom of
http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Essays/winolj.html .

Me, I prefer to just run a Linux server on a static IP with an sshd and
an httpd -- and, if people say 'Build something that makes it easy to
send you a huge file in a totally pointy-clicky way that imposes no
demands on my brain', I tell them 'No.'  If they want me to receive a
large file from them, my basic suggestion is 'Please put the file up on
a Web server somewhere, and provide me its URL.'