OT: Sharing files

[danielmak]

As I note in the subject line, I know this is off topic in a video help forum, but this is the only Mac forum I have found where advice is friendly, helpful, and timely. Anyway, I make audio documentaries and am in the process of sharing some of my Pro Tools sessions with another documentarian in Russia. I could upload the files to megaupload since I have an account and he could download them, but he does not have an account with them so it would take a long time for us to hear each others sessions (about 5GB each). Is there a way for me to either gain direct access to his computer or vice versa in a safe way (i.e., create a single folder on my computer where I could place the sessions and he would only be able to access the contents in that folder--something akin to FTP)? I don't know him that well yet so I don't want him to be able to access everything on my computer and he probably feels the same. He is using a PC and I am using a Mac and we both have cable internet connections. Thanks in advance for the help and apologies again for being off topic.

[aedipuss]

you both need to set up an ftp server and set it to only share the desired folder. usernames and passwords can be setup and exchanged. i would suggest the free open source filezilla but only the client(downloading) portion is available for both windows and mac. the server is windows only, you'd have to find a mac ftp server.

[Case]

Mac OS X has a built-in FTP server (System Preferences>Sharing>Services>FTP Access checkbox). If you decide to use that, you'll have to add a user account for your buddy on your Mac. You could exchange files by putting them in the Public folder.

Some third party FTP server applications allow you to set accounts that only apply in that application (and not clutter the Users folder). Also more advanced features are possible (customizing).

[danielmak]

Thanks for the responses. CrushFTP looks like a good solution.