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General discussion

A Question for Anyone

Nov 12, 2004 11:46PM PST

Hi, I want to be able to make my own software available for people to download to there computer, how do I do this??? I have got all the info on my computer but have no idea on how people make it downloadable from a web site...Thanks
I know there is software that can help do this and I am willing to pay for the software as long as it does not cost a fortune..I am running windows xp home edition and internet explorer 6...

Discussion is locked

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Re: A Question for Anyone
Nov 13, 2004 12:39AM PST

You can subscribe to a web server. I use http://www.netidentity.com for my web page. You can create an account and build your own web page. You get about 8 Meg of storage for about 30 bucks (US) per year. You can upload files and they will be available to anyone who visits your site.

Good luck,

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Re: A Question for Anyone
Nov 13, 2004 12:46AM PST

Maybe your ISP has already home-page space for you. It depends on the ISP, of course, how much it is, and if you have to pay extra for it or if it is included in the fee you pay each month.

Then all you need is a password to access you home-page (your ISP supplies it) and some free ftp-program to put everything on it that you want.

If your ISP doesn't have this feature, you can rent space elsewhere, for example at the site Coryphaeus mentions (but there surely are lots of others).

Hope this helps.


Kees

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Could you clarify...
Nov 13, 2004 2:02AM PST

What you mean by "my own software"?

Is that software you have written or is it software you have bought?

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Re: Could you clarify...
Nov 13, 2004 3:52AM PST

Edward,

That's a good question. Indeed you would say that somebody able to program a program good enough to be interesting for others would know the answer to the question himself, and certainly not post on the newbie forum.
It doesn't make sense (and would be presumably be an infringement to the copyright) to set freeware on your own site, and it's clearly illegal to do so with software you paid for.
So it's a small mystery.

I trust I didn't break the forum rules with my answer.

Regards,


Kees

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Re: Could you clarify...
Nov 13, 2004 5:06AM PST

I wouldn't have thought so Kees.

You were replying to a question about uploading to a web server. The question did not include any reference to pirated software, or anything like that.

Mark

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kees i work on comps.
Nov 13, 2004 5:25AM PST

and html is beyond me just because people can do 1 thing well dosnt mean there good in otheres.
so the gentleman says he wrote software, unless proven diff, we should help them.

just like when peeps ask for how to find there lost regestration number a link to sites given, how do you know its not a stolen comp?

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Re: Could you clarify...
Nov 13, 2004 7:57AM PST

Sorry I realized I did not explain my self very well, I was in a bit of a hurry, lets try this again Happy

I have made some files on my computer I know how to copy that onto a disk but a lot of my customers want to be able to download the software to there computer right away with out having to wait for the cd to arrive via snail mail, what I need to know is how do I make my files on my computer downloadable? I have a web site, I checked with my ISP and they do give me some web space, so thank you to the person that suggested that...But I have no idea how people make a link or what ever it is called that allows someone to click and download the info they paid for...
Thanks once again...

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Re: Could you clarify...
Nov 14, 2004 3:38AM PST

Sounds like you only have Data files (.txt or .doc) and not an exicutable file program(.exe) just put them on yahoo some other free site in a shared folder and let anyone have access

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Re: Could you clarify...
Nov 14, 2004 5:53AM PST

Thank you for the answer, yes I have text and pictures, free games, clip art, ebooks and a lot of other stuff of that nature, I thought of putting them on a web site and I did try that a couple times, but the games and things people want to be able to download so they can play off line and stuff...
Thanks

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Thanks for the clarification...
Nov 15, 2004 3:28AM PST
I have text and pictures, free games, clip art, ebooks and a lot of other stuff of that nature,

Anything you created yourself is not a problem but things created by others have to be handled in accordance with their desires. Many of the freeware games, clipart, and ebooks are indeed free BUT the creater has specified that they can only be downloaded from specific sites--this is often done to ensure proper credit as well as to ensure that only the latest version is available.

Once you have found which files you can upload to your own web space and which you can only link to on the owner's site you can use just about any FTP tool to upload the files. There is even a web based one at the following link that works quite well. You simply type in the upload address your ISP has told you to use then enter your username and password.
http://www.net2ftp.com/

While the above is handy (especially if using someone else's computer to load a file to your server) it is better to have a dedicated FTP Client and FileZilla is pretty decent and easy to figure out.

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Re: Thanks for the clarification...
Nov 15, 2004 6:15AM PST

Not a problem there, I have already either made payments for the copyright use of the items or have gotten permission from the owners for the use of there items, but thank you for the warning Happy
I will take a look at what you reccomend as well and let everyone know later today or so how it went...

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Re: Could you clarify...
Nov 14, 2004 5:21AM PST

Tholmes,

It's just basic html. The person you made and maintains your website can dream it. Something like < a href="data/filename.txt">download filename< /a>. Then the whole world can download filename.txt, provided it's in the data directory directly under the directory your home page uses, where you should put it with ftp.

Hope this helps,


Kees

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And ...
Nov 14, 2004 6:44AM PST

Correction of typo. I meant: "The person that made and maintains your website ..."

And talking of customers waiting for a cd by snail-mail: how about email? If might be a big email, but it isn't more Mb (so more minutes) to put on a website then to mail it, and it's much faster than burning. Of course, you shouldn't mail anything bigger then a few Mb zipped, but then your customers might not object and even see it as an enhanced service.

But it all depends on your line of business and the kind and volume of data and the kind of customers. There's nothing wrong either with a mail in which you announce what you've put on the website and that you put a link in for each and every item they can download. Your mail program will make it a hyperlink if you just type it out like 'download http://www.mywebsite.com/data/catalog_october.pdf', just like the forum software does. All you've got to do is put it there.
This method has the advantage (or is it a disadvantage?) that only people on the mailing-list (your customers) will have easy access to your stuff. Others would have to guess the url for the specific download.

Hope this helps,


Kees

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Re: And ...
Nov 14, 2004 11:24AM PST

Thanks Kees
The email might be the solution after all, thanks..
If that does not work I will think of a way to make the games and stuff into a exe. file...
Tobius...

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You can use CesarFTP...
Nov 14, 2004 12:05PM PST

It works very well. You basically point the program at the files you want to share. You can put a password and users who can download from you on it. You can have different accounts on it that have different files to share, so you can put say, pictures on one then when a person calls you to request a picture you can give him your IP address and the password. You can get it here.

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Re: You can use CesarFTP...
Nov 14, 2004 11:40PM PST

Thanks for the info, I will give this a try today when I get some free time and let everyone know how it went...I appreciate all the help I have been given here...

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Re: You can use CesarFTP...
Nov 23, 2004 9:47AM PST

Hi just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to the person who suggested CesarFTP it is exactly what I needed!! Actually it is better than I had hoped to find anywhere else...
So once again thank you
Tobius...

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(NT) (NT) You are welcome, glad I could help!!!
Nov 24, 2004 12:47PM PST
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Easiest way...
Dec 14, 2004 5:44AM PST

use cerberus ftp server. Its the easiest and most effective ftp server i have ever found and infact using the same. if u wanna try i have evaluation version with me. mail me @ inocent_dragon@yahoo.com and i'll send u as an attachment.

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Thank you
Dec 14, 2004 11:57AM PST

Thanks but I think I will stick to the Cesar one..It works great..
Tobius...