Content area
Full text
GIS technologies are becoming key to managing services and resources.
In this day and age, patience is no longer considered a virtue, at least not when it comes to sharing digital information. When we hit send on an e-mail message, we expect it to be zapped across the country in the blink of an eye. E-mail works great for simple messages and text documents, but it's not a viable option for the large files typically associated with CAD, GIS, and imagery applications. These types of applications use highresolution aerial imagery, detailed terrain models, and robust databases, and the increased detail and resolution produce larger file sizes than ever before.
How, then, do we share large CAD and GIS files in a way that is fast, simple, secure, and affordable? One option is to burn a CD or load files on a portable drive and then send the files via traditional mail or overnight delivery. But no self-respecting consultant or professional would make a client or colleague wait three or four days to receive information using snail mail, and FedEx gets to be pretty expensive.
An E-Mail Approach
It's difficult to transfer large files using e-mail. All e-mail accounts set a cap for the largest file you can send or receive as an attachment. For most, that cap is typically 10 or 20 MB. Most e-mail messages also lack encryption because both parties would have to use the same encryption system.
One problem with trying to send large files via e-mail is that the person on the other end may be using an e-mail server that can't handle larger files. For example, at EDAW, my colleagues and I routinely send and receive e-mails with attached...