# A web based file sharing solution?



## michaelrmgreen (Jul 20, 2013)

A friend of mine, an academic, has to to collaborate on research projects and she has had some negative experience with SharePoint.

She seeks a simple web based file sharing solution, which allows locking based sharing, and recovery of previous versions of Word, Excel and Powerpoint files, with simple authentication. 

Does this suggest anything to anybody?


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## drhowarddrfine (Jul 20, 2013)

Google Drive. Excellent. We use it for everything.


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## michaelrmgreen (Jul 20, 2013)

Does Google Drive lock files to prevent concurrent editing? The Google Docs web site is ambiguous on the matter? Also thanks.


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## drhowarddrfine (Jul 20, 2013)

I missed that. I don't think it has file locking though I guess you could un-share it.


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## michaelrmgreen (Jul 20, 2013)

Further information. I now learn that some collaborators can't (or wont!) install programs. At present the people involved have reverted to an email scheme with file name modification indicating current version. I guess this means the only viable solution would be a browser based one. 

I'm imagining a system that lets you download a file from the project web site either read-only or read/write, and if you request the file read/write the file is marked 'in use' (locked) until such time as the new version is uploaded. or the project admin. unlocks it. 

Ideas? Or am I barking up a dead horse here?


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## CoTones (Jul 20, 2013)

I'm not sure if it possible on FreeBSD:

http://labs.bittorrent.com/index.html


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## drhowarddrfine (Jul 21, 2013)

The best answer may still be Google Drive. No installation necessary. You can tell who is editing files and what they are changing.


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## kpa (Jul 21, 2013)

I'd be very surprised if Google Drive didn't implement proper write locking.


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## wblock@ (Jul 21, 2013)

Seems like there would already be a version control system online.  Download a file, edit it, upload it again, merging with other people's changes if necessary.  Everything happens on the server, client only needs a web browser.  Doesn't somebody have that already?


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## gkontos (Jul 21, 2013)

wblock@ said:
			
		

> Seems like there would already be a version control system online.



That's the magic phrase here. 

Google Docs/Drive can be used: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/190843?hl=en

If you don't want to store all your personal and company information with Google the only (easy) alternative is www/owncloud


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## michaelrmgreen (Jul 21, 2013)

It seems the people concerned can only use MS Office, so the Google Docs suite isn't suitable. Shame really.


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## kpa (Jul 21, 2013)

There's of course the Microsoft equivalent of Google Docs, Skydrive.

https://skydrive.live.com/


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## NewGuy (Jul 21, 2013)

Couldn't these files be places on something like ownClowd /(which enables privacy) and the contributors could use Microsoft's Office shared document tools? I was pretty sure MS-Office supports merging changes as part of the software, which would mean the on-line storage wouldn't have to merge/handle anything.


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## ondra_knezour (Jul 21, 2013)

Alfresco has support for the MS Sharepoint protocol.


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## michaelrmgreen (Jul 22, 2013)

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm considering knocking something purpose built up myself. Any thoughts or ideas?


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## w5plt (Aug 3, 2013)

Perhaps owncloud.com solution fits your requirements.  There is also a port for owncloud in the ports collection.


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## throAU (Aug 5, 2013)

I think this is a niche that is missing a free software alternative.

Google Docs and Skydrive aren't really options if you want to avoid public cloud services (and there are a great many reasons one may want to avoid them).


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