File Sharing with HomePage

A .Mac account includes a feature called HomePagecustomizable web page templates that let you quickly and easily create different kinds of web pages to display photo albums, newsletters, etc.

HomePage provides certain templates specifically for sharing files. This type of page is often referred to as an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) site. An FTP site lets you upload files to a web address so anyone on the Internet can download the files. This is a great way to share files with PC users.

You can add password protection to the page if you want to limit access to certain people.

It's simple. Just log in to your .Mac account, create a file sharing page, then upload the files you want to share. Send the web address to whoever needs access to the files. Since .Mac is web-based, you can even create a file sharing site while you're on the go.

The address of all your HomePages will be homepage.mac.com/yourMacname.

Two Kinds of File Sharing Pages

HomePage offers two different ways to share files with its special file sharing templates. Before you start to build a page, it's a good idea to know how they are different so you'll know which one to choose.

Remember, it's best to archive files that you upload for sharing; see page 177. If you plan to share a whole folder, you will have to archive it because you can't upload a plain folder, only individual files (an archive is considered an individual file).

• My Downloads. With this template, you must first put the files you want to share into one of these folders on your iDisk: Movies, Pictures, Public, Sites, or Music. Then you can choose individual files from any of these folders to share on this FTP page.

  

  To put files in your iDisk folders: Open your iDisk (see the previous page or pages 5964 for details). Drag files from your hard disk and drop them into the appropriate folders on your iDisk.

• iDisk Public Folder. With this template, every file you put in your Public iDisk folder will automatically appear on this FTP page. You never have to open HomePage to add or remove filesjust drag files in or out of your iDisk Public folder on your Mac (see the previous page).