Pri nters and Re p ro Houses ..... Printers and repro houses have always needed to use the latest technologies to keep up with their requirement to send and receive large computer artwork files. Whether it be ISDN, SyQuest or Zip Disk cartridges, being able to send or receive large files is often the difference between making or missing a deadline, keeping or losing a client. With the widespread adoption of broadband, it has become, for the first time, feasible to use the internet to transfer such files - to the misfortune of motorcycle couriers everywhere! However, whilst the speed of broadband provides the feasibility, the potential is often not fully realised, because many people rely on ordinary emails to exchange files. Room101 has worked with clients in the repro industry since its inception in 1998, and we hear many horror stories. Here are a few examples: The Client’s Pe r s p e ct i ve I’d just worked through the night with my designer, but I still wasn’t quite happy with the results, and so it took until 5pm the next day to get things just right. She zipped up the Quark and Illustrator files into one archive (I think it was around 25 Meg), and emailed it to the printers. It all seemed to go through alright, so I left the office for my first sleep in 36 hours. I was woken up at 7am the next day by my printer asking “Where’s the artwork?” I checked my email and 15 minutes after it’d been sent, the email had bounced back saying “Mailbox quota exceeded”. I’d missed my allocated slot on the press, and as a result we had to reuse the previous year’s brochures at the show . The outcome couldn’t have been worse. The Pri nte r’s Pe r s p e ct i ve ... Most of our clients are local, but when we acquired a blue-chip company based in Northampton, we naturally wanted to offer them the same level of service as our London based clients. However, the trouble they had emailing us the files was very frustrating. We managed to get the Quark file, but some of the images were just too large to send through AOL’s email system. Eventually they had to use their previous supplier in Northampton, because even though they’d fallen out with them, someone worked out that a bike from Northampton to London would have cost over £200 on that short notice. But surely you can just ... ? For files in excess of 10 Mb, email is rarely adequate, due to mailbox quotas. Web-based systems usually have a file-size quota applied by the web hosting service provider. (Typically 10 Mb). Also, no progress bar is displayed during web uploads, and for large files, your browser or internet connection may very well time out, forcing you to begin the transfer again. Transferring via Instant Messenger is good for small files, but both sender and receiver must be in front of their computers at the same time, they may have to download and install the necessary software, and there are widely reported security problems with using Messenger in this way. Also, some Instant Messenger systems send the files via a central server in the USA, which greatly reduces the speed of transfer. U p l o a d.gs - The So l u t i o n When creating the specification for this solution, Room101’s goals were as follows: • No annoying restrictions on file sizes, whether sending or receiving. • No need for sender and receiver to both be online at the same time • Ability to resume broken off transfers, if your internet connection drops • Compatible with both Windows PCs and Apple Macintosh systems. Room 101, Erico House, 93-99 Upper Richmond Road, Putney, London SW15 2TG Tel: 0845 0036 101 Fax: 0845 0037 101 email: [email protected] www.room101.co.uk Information sheet: Large file transfer Call Richard Fincher now 0845 0036 101 Room101 internet services 03
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Pri nters and Re p ro Houses .....
Printers and repro houses have alwaysneeded to use the latest technologiesto keep up with their requirement tosend and receive large computerartwork files. Whether it be ISDN,SyQuest or Zip Disk cartridges, beingable to send or receive large files is
often the difference between making or missing a deadline,keeping or losing a client. With the widespread adoption ofbroadband, it has become, for the first time, feasible to use theinternet to transfer such files - to the misfortune of motorcyclecouriers everywhere!
However, whilst the speed of broadband provides the feasibility,the potential is often not fully realised, because many peoplerely on ordinary emails to exchange files. Room101 has workedwith clients in the repro industry since its inception in 1998, andwe hear many horror stories. Here are a few examples:
The Client’s Pe r s p e ct i ve
I’d just worked through the night with my designer, but I stillwasn’t quite happy with the results, and so it took until 5pm thenext day to get things just right. She zipped up the Quark andIllustrator files into one archive (I think it was around 25 Meg),and emailed it to the printers. It all seemed to go throughalright, so I left the office for my first sleep in 36 hours. I waswoken up at 7am the next day by my printer asking “Where’s theartwork?” I checked my email and 15 minutes after it’d beensent, the email had bounced back saying “Mailbox quotaexceeded”. I’d missed my allocated slot on the press, and as aresult we had to reuse the previous year’s brochures at the show. The outcome couldn’t have been worse.
The Pri nte r’s Pe r s p e ct i ve ...
Most of our clients are local, butwhen we acquired a blue-chipcompany based in Northampton, wenaturally wanted to offer them thesame level of service as our Londonbased clients. However, the trouble they had emailing us thefiles was very frustrating. We managed to get the Quark file, but
some of the images were just too large to send through AOL’semail system. Eventually they had to use their previous supplierin Northampton, because even though they’d fallen out withthem, someone worked out that a bike from Northampton toLondon would have cost over £200 on that short notice.
But surely you can just ... ?
For files in excess of 10 Mb, email is rarely adequate, due tomailbox quotas.
Web-based systems usually have a file-size quota applied by theweb hosting service provider. (Typically 10 Mb). Also, no
progress bar is displayed during webuploads, and for large files, your browseror internet connection may very well timeout, forcing you to begin the transferagain.
Transferring via Instant Messenger is goodfor small files, but both sender and
receiver must be in front of their computers at the same time,they may have to download and install the necessary software,and there are widely reported security problems with usingMessenger in this way. Also, some Instant Messenger systemssend the files via a central server in the USA, which greatlyreduces the speed of transfer.
U p l o a d.gs - The So l u t i o n
When creating the specification for this solution, Room101’sgoals were as follows:
• No annoying restrictions on file sizes, whether sending orreceiving.
• No need for sender and receiver to both be online at the sametime
• Ability to resume broken off transfers, if your internetconnection drops
• Compatible with both Windows PCs and Apple Macintoshsystems.
Room 101, Erico House, 93-99 Upper Richmond Road,Putney, London SW15 2TG
Tel: 0845 0036 101 Fax: 0845 0037 101email: [email protected] www.room101.co.uk
Information sheet:
Large file transfer
Call Richard Fincher now 0845 0036 101Room101internet services
03
Room 101, Erico House, 93-99 Upper Richmond Road,Putney, London SW15 2TG
Tel: 0845 0036 101 Fax: 0845 0037 101email: [email protected] www.room101.co.uk
Q.) Do I need any special softwa re to use upload. g s ?
A.) On a Windows PC, no. You can make use of MicrosoftInternet Explorer 6.0, which is already installed on all PCs. If youalready use and prefer special FTP software, such as “CuteFTP”,this will also work.
On a Macintosh, we recommend the use of FTP software “Fetch”or “Interarchy” (see URLs at the end). Fetch is available for free 30day evaluation.
Q.) Do I need any special training to use upload. g s ?
A.) No, whether on Mac or PC, the procedure is a simple “dragand drop”. You simply drag the file or files you want to upload,into the upload window, and check the progress bar
Q.) Wh at about securi ty? My client list is co n f i d e nt i a land I ce rtainly don’t wa nt my clients seeing each o t h e r’s files.
A.) The upload directory works like a letterbox. Once you’veuploaded files into it, you cannot see what else is there, friend orfoe. Only the upload.gs account owner can see the uploadedfiles.
Q.) I’m acting as an inte rm e d i a ry, so when someone’suploaded their files, I wa nt to make them available tomy re p ro house, without having to download them,b u rn them onto a CD, or email them.
A.) One of the things you can do, is move one or more files fromyour upload directory, to a special password protecteddownload directory, just for that client.
Q.) Wh at about acco u nt a b i l i ty? We’ve had situat i o n sw h e re someone’s claimed they never re ce i ved a filewhen I’m sure that they did.
A.) All uploads and downloads from your upload.gs account arelogged. You can see who connected, what files theydownloaded, even how many tries they had before they got thewhole file downloaded.
Q.) You say there’s no limit on file size s, but there mustbe some kind of limit
A.) Well, the actual limit is 2 Gigabytes per file.
Q.) Wh at will an upload.gs acco u nt cost me?
A.) For the first year, the charge is £500 + VAT, with a recurringannual charge of £300 + VAT for subsequent years.
Sys tem Re q u i re m e nt s
Account Holder (you) :A broadband (or equivalent) internet access account1 or more PCs running Windows 98/ME/2000/XPMicrosoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or aboveAND/OR1 or more Apple Macintosh running Mac OS X 10.2 or above“Fetch” or “Interarchy” FTP Software
Upload user (your clients & suppliers) :A broadband (or equivalent) internet access account1 or more PCs running Windows 98/ME/2000/XPMicrosoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or aboveAND/OR1 or more Apple Macintosh running Mac OS X 10.2 or above“Fetch” or “Interarchy” FTP Software
Useful URLs for Apple Ma c i ntosh Us e r s :
www.fetchftp.comwww.interarchy.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Large file transfer
Room101internet services