John's Blog: Drop Shipping

Jan 16, 2012

Almost everyone has received an e-mail that includes a link that can be clicked to download a big file. A short, small e-mail appears in your inbox with a hyperlink in it, and when you click the link, your Web browser opens and downloads the file. It's a great way to send big files, with several benefits:

  •    * The recipient doesn't have their mail jammed waiting to download the file, and can instead download the file when it's most convenient.

  •    * Files sent can be larger than a mail client will typically allow.

  •    * Linked files can be sent to multiple people, or multiple devices, very efficiently.

  •    * The file download interface can be customized and is more clear for the recipient.

In Rumpus, we call this "Drop Shipping" a file, and like uploading or downloading files, it's a fully developed function that any Rumpus user can take advantage of.

The most obvious use of drop shipping is to allow local users within your organization to send large files to outside people. The simplest way for local users to drop ship a file is using Rumplet, a desktop applet we've created just for this purpose. In short, when a person in your company needs to send a large file, they simply drop the file onto Rumplet, then paste the link that is automatically generated into an e-mail message that will be sent to whomever needs the file, even people that don't have Rumpus user accounts themselves.

For complete details, see the Rumplet article in the Rumpus download package. The article describes how to use Rumplet, set up your server, and configure the client. There is no extra cost for Rumplet, and you can run it on any number of local Mac desktops you need.

Rumpus still supports drop shipping files via Web browser, of course. See the "Drop Shipping" screencast video for an overview, and the "Drop Shipping" section of the "Web File Manager" article in the Rumpus package for complete details.

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