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What are the Best Tips for Sharing Documents?

G. Wiesen
G. Wiesen

There are a number of different ways to share documents among multiple computers or users, and the best tips for such file sharing often depend on the methods used. For sharing documents across computers connected on a local area network (LAN), for example, the users should ensure files are properly set to share and should establish folders especially for shared files. If someone uses a file hosting site or service on the Internet, then he or she should be sure to note the dynamic address for his or her files and consider the amount of storage he or she may need. When using a file sharing service for sharing documents, care should be taken to avoid files that may be infected with malicious software or that violate the laws in an area.

Sharing documents typically consists of sharing computer files between two or more systems or users. One of the easiest ways to share documents is to create a LAN between two or more local computers, usually using direct Ethernet connections or a router. Once this is created, then files can be set to shareable within the properties of each document, allowing them to be accessed by others on the network. It is often easiest for each user to create a folder specifically for sharing documents, and then place those documents in the folder to make them easier for other users to find.

Man holding computer
Man holding computer

There are also Internet websites that can be easily used for sharing documents. These host sites allow users to upload files and then create links that can be used to share those files with others. Someone using such a site should be sure to document the links provided to him or her for the files. Since different services are available, anyone interested in this method for sharing documents should also look for a service that provides adequate storage.

Sharing documents can also be achieved through the use of a file sharing program or service. This type of program usually makes the shared documents openly available to other users, so care should be taken by users to ensure private or sensitive documents are not shared through such a service. Files on these sharing services can be corrupted or infected with malware and viruses, so caution should be used whenever downloading files and documents through such a service. Sharing documents that are protected by copyright, other than by the owner of that copyright, can be illegal in many areas, so users should be careful to avoid breaking copyright laws in their country.

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