atw: Re: Netdrive?

I've tried NetDrive and it works a treat. It does pretty much what
XP's "web folders" and "My Network Places" both promise but neither
properly delivers. Once you connect, it functions like a local
drive. You can right-click on filenames to choose from the full
context menu, including Edit and Open With, so you can make changes
and save the file straight back to the web server if it suits you to
work in that way. (By contrast, unless I'm missing something, a "My
Network Place" under XP offers only Cut, Copy, Delete, and Rename,
plus upload and download by drag and drop.)

You can choose FTP or, if your web server supports it, WebDAV
access. Using the FTP method, in effect you get a nifty FTP client
completely integrated with Windows Explorer. WebDAV ("Web-based
Distributed Authoring and Versioning") is an extended HTTP protocol
that supports collaborative editing and management of web server
files. XP's web folders feature is based on WebDAV. Though WebDAV is
more secure, the FTP method would be as secure (or insecure) as FTP
connection ever is.

The comparison with USB drives suggests you have backup uses in
mind. I'd say NetDrive's main value may be, rather, for people like
me who maintain a number of websites and want a more streamlined,
better integrated way of connecting to them and managing them.
Unlike the typical FTP client, NetDrive continues to show you the
the site structure, the tree of folders and files, after the site
connection is closed.

It appears that NetDrive is *not* officially free software (I think
it's included in Novell's Netware 6 licence), but it's available for
download from various sites.

------------------------------------------
Peter Bloxsom
http://www.netpublish.net
peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart Burnfield" <sburnf@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 2:52 PM
Subject: atw: Netdrive?


> >
>
> Netdrive is a free utility from Novell that lets you map remote
folders
> (e.g. over the Internet or a network connection) to a drive letter
in
> Windows Explorer:
>
>    "...Then you access and work with your files as with any
network drive.
>    NetDrive transparently downloads and uploads files to a
temporary
>    directory on your workstation, similar to any mapped network
drive. When
>    you log out of NetDrive, it completes any outstanding uploads
and
>    deletes the files in the temporary directory."
>
> For example, you could map your storage space from your ISP
account to a W;
> drive, which you could then access from a home machine, laptop,
and
> possibly multiple client sites. Under the covers it actually uses
either
> FTP or a more secure protocol called WebDAV to transfer files back
and
> forth, but that's invisible to the user--you just double-click,
> drag-and-drop, etc. Sounds like it could be useful for travelling
TWs.
>
> A USB drive would be better in many cases (faster; doesn't need a
working
> net connection) but Netdrive is free and seems like it could be
useful in
> situations where your thumb drive is lost/stolen/broken/full/in
your other
> trousers.
>
> Has anyone used it? Are there any security or other issues?
>
> Cheers
> ---
> Stuart Burnfield
> Information Developer
> Australian Programming Centre
>

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