There are only so many ways that something can be shared. This is based on four things:
- Direction – what direction the files go when it’s shared
- Storage – where the file is stored once it’s shared
- Relationship – determines if you can send or receive
- Access – determines who can participate in sharing
- Notification – how you find out something has been shared
Share Direction:
- Push: File is sent onto your computer, like it or not (email)
- Pull: File is downloaded (from a server)
- Permission: File doesn’t move but permissions are set so that it can as needed
Share Notification:
- Synchronous: When something is shared you are notified
- Asynchronous: Notified at some interval hour/daily/weekly of sharing activity
- None/Discovery: User is not notified but the user can discover that something has been shared
Share Relationship
- Incoming : Allow files to be received
- Outgoing : Allow files to go out
- Bi-directional : Sent and received
Storage
- Self : File is stored with the share originator
- Recipient : The person receiving the file will store the file
- Transitive : File is stored with the originator and recipients
- Server : File is stored on a central server
Access
- Open : Anyone can add files and get files
- Open-Get : Anyone can get the file
- Open-Put : Anyone can share a file
- Secure (Get/Put) : Only specified people can get or share
| Direction | Storage | Relationship | Access | Notification | |
| FTP | Push/Pull | Server | Bi-directional | Secure | None |
| Email |
Push | Recipient | Bi-directional | Open-Put Secure-Get |
Asynchronous |
| YouTube |
Pull | Server | Bi-directional | Open | Discovery |
| Website |
Pull | Server | Incoming | Open | Discovery |
| Torrent |
Pull | Transitive | Bi-directional | Open | None |
| Network Sharing |
Permission | Self | Outgoing | Secure | None |
| Postal Mail |
Push | Recipient | Bi-directional | Open | Synchronous |
Am I missing any key scenarios for how sharing services can differentiate themselves technically?
