UD dropbox 2.0: collaboration magic

Abstract

Project collaborators quickly realize that using e-mail attachments to exchange large amounts of information is less than optimal. Exhausted quotas and stringent attachment filtering can lead to e-mail messages' being rejected by mail servers. At the same time, users become frustrated with lengthy transmission times and the inefficient handling of massive attachments due to e-mail protocols and client storage schemes. Alternative internet applications, such as anonymous ftp or web publishing, create additional problems for systems and collaborators such as security issues, access control, and overall inconvenience of use. To provide an easy-to-use, secure and efficient solution for sharing information with users across the internet, Network and Systems Services (NSS) at the University of Delaware developed the UD Dropbox 2.0 service. It allows a user to upload files and specify recipient e-mail addresses from a web browser. An e-mail message is sent to each recipient in lieu of the actual files and contains the information necessary to download the files via a web browser. The UD Dropbox 2.0 service software package is distributed by the University of Delaware under the GNU General Public License (GPL) and requires a web server with PHP5 support. This paper will explain the details of the UD Dropbox 2.0 service and why it is collaboration magic.