I prefer something called FTP or "File Transfer Protocol." FTP is just a fancy way of saying you are going to hook up directly to another computer or server for the sole purpose of transferring a file. There are many free FTP programs out there, just go to TuCows and run a search for FTP or you can download this very simple FTP program by clicking here: FTP
FTP is simple. Input your server information (address, username and password). An FTP program interface is almost always identical to a Windows directory tree. Select the file that you are taking from the remote server. Select the destination directory on your computer. Click transfer and off you go.
FTP'ing is fast, easy and much more stable and reliable than e-mail. Some FTP programs will even retrieve a broken download if you became disconnected from the server halfway through downloading the file. And, the bonus is - FTP is lightning fast. Where an e-mail server will almost always have a restriction on the upload bandwidth (how fast you can send the file), FTP will transfer much faster - though uploading (no matter what your using) is always slower.
Also, another FTP vs e-mail issue that people often ignore is multiple downloads. As a professional voice talent, there are many times when my audio (e-learning or some other Corporate narration) has to be approved by several people at different locations. Say I have to send a 5 meg file to four people. Two of them can only accept a 2 meg file size and another can't accept attachments at all. In this scenario, it's much easier for me to send everyone my FTP info (and/or a link to their file so they can use a browser) and they can grab the file whenever they like.
Many years of experience using and hosting my own FTP site has revealed that it's normally better to use an FTP Client (program) and not your browser for FTP. Yes, you can type an FTP address into your browser, but don't expect it to be reliable - especially with the new firewall that came with Microsoft's Service Pack 2. If it's turned on, you can't get a folder list.
An alternative to FTP that I really like is SendLink. This program creates a link directly to the file on your computer. You send the link via e-mail and the user simply clicks on the link and is propmted to save the file. The program is easy to set up and use - I highly recommend it for those who like to keep things simple.
Would you like to have a professional voice-over for your website or project?
