Unfortunately sharing files between Android and Windows was never this easy. Google launches Nearby Share Beta for Windows.

[LAwLz]

2 hours ago, jagdtigger said:

Except neither will snoop around in your stuff, but if you really want clutch that straw ill cut it with kde connect..... (it has windows client FYI)

I think I misread your post and thought you said it didn't require third party software, but now I see that you just said "no snooping third party".

I don't really see how this is different from Total Commander with the addon though. Both relies on third party, closed source software, but the file transfer is being done locally and therefore contains minimal or no snooping.

[LAwLz]

1 hour ago, AluminiumTech said:

Microsoft's Nearby Sharing feature of Windows.

Closed source and not available to Google. They can't use it. Even if they were allowed to use it, I doubt Microsoft would want to allow that protocol to be used for Android to Android file transfer.

Plus, it seems like Nearby Share (Android) will have wider support than Nearby Share (Windows) since the latter only works on Windows 10 version 1803, and it seems like Nearby Sharing was pretty limited feature wise up until very recently. I don't use the feature so correct me if I am wrong, but the wording on Microsoft's website seems to indicate that for example sharing a file from a Windows 10 PC to a Windows 11 PC is not possible if you want to use Wi-Fi, for some reason.

 

 

1 hour ago, AluminiumTech said:

Google does have access.

 

Microsoft licenses their code examples of how apps can implement it under the MIT license.

Source?

Please note that using a feature is not the same as implementing it in the OS. What Google is doing is the latter, not the former.

 

 

1 hour ago, AluminiumTech said:

The actual tech itself relies on the Windows SDK but Google already has access to this considering they use it to build Chromium and Chrome.

I don't think you understand the issue here. The issue is not on the Windows side. The limitation Google would hit when trying to use Microsoft's protocol would be on the Android side.

Google could program their Windows program to use Nearby Sharing, but if they can't implement the protocol on the Android side then a connection could not be made.

 

 

1 hour ago, AluminiumTech said:

Why would Microsoft need to abandon their own technology? Why shouldn't Google use the solution provided by the OS Manufacturer, Microsoft in this case, to enable this?

Because one of them would have to abandon their protocol if they wanted to use the same one natively. We are talking about implementing a protocol in both Android and Windows, to enable the two to exchange data. We could just as easily flip the question around and say "why shouldn't Microsoft use the solution provided by the OS manufacturer, Android in this case, to enable this?".

 

1 hour ago, AluminiumTech said:

Microsoft is (probably) interested. Google isn't, they still have the attitude they used to have with Windows Phone.

Yeah, Google seems to be the most reluctant to work together with Microsoft. I can't say I blame them after all the terrible things Microsoft did to them during that era. 

Hopefully Google will burry their hatchet soon because I think us consumers could benefit from it. 

 

 

2 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

Some people don't want Google spyware on their PC.

Okay, but that has nothing to do with how easy or complicated something is. You're moving the goalpost.

 

2 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

And some people don't use Windows.

That's a fair complaint. However, those people are not losing anything with this announcement.

I think it's strange to be upset about a new possibility being opened for one group of people (who represent about 70% of the market) that the group with <3% market share don't get the same feature. I would understand being upset if the <3% group lost something, but I don't get being angry that someone gets something you didn't get. It's very childish in my eyes. 

[Bitter]

At one point I could tap my Samsung S8 or my older Honor 8 to another Android phone to share files, at some point this ability vanished. Shame it did, was really cool.

[RollyShed]

7 hours ago, LAwLz said:

Overall I think Dukto seems like a worse version of this. Although it seems like Dukto supports Linux which is a plus.

Why a "worse version" and of what?

As far as security, it is only connectable / seen by another device if it has Dukto booted up. If not running not seen by anyone.

Another similar app is Warpinator, just about as easy to use but not quite..

[Quackers101]

1 hour ago, Bitter said:

At one point I could tap my Samsung S8 or my older Honor 8 to another Android phone to share files, at some point this ability vanished. Shame it did, was really cool.

there might still be something like "NFC/QR share", for bluetooth options or wifi, etc.

QR code is quite nice for sharing some stuff

[Bitter]

7 minutes ago, Quackers101 said:

there might still be something like "NFC/QR share", for bluetooth options or wifi, etc.

QR code is quite nice for sharing some stuff

It stopped working when I tried to use it with newer phones, was neat but Google is good about killing off things people like so I don't know if becoming reliant on anything from them is a good idea.

[AlTech]

4 hours ago, LAwLz said:

Closed source and not available to Google. They can't use it. Even if they were allowed to use it, I doubt Microsoft would want to allow that protocol to be used for Android to Android file transfer.

Nobody was arguing that Microsoft would or should let them use it for that.

4 hours ago, LAwLz said:

Plus, it seems like Nearby Share (Android) will have wider support than Nearby Share (Windows) since the latter only works on Windows 10 version 1803, and it seems like Nearby Sharing was pretty limited feature wise up until very recently. I don't use the feature so correct me if I am wrong, but the wording on Microsoft's website seems to indicate that for example sharing a file from a Windows 10 PC to a Windows 11 PC is not possible if you want to use Wi-Fi, for some reason.

 

 

Source?

The code for it is embedded in Project Rome. This is the github for it.

 

https://github.com/Microsoft/project-rome

4 hours ago, LAwLz said:

Please note that using a feature is not the same as implementing it in the OS. What Google is doing is the latter, not the former.

What I meant to say was that the Windows side uses the Windows SDK. Using it in Android does not require the Windows SDK.

4 hours ago, LAwLz said:

I don't think you understand the issue here. The issue is not on the Windows side. The limitation Google would hit when trying to use Microsoft's protocol would be on the Android side.

Google could program their Windows program to use Nearby Sharing, but if they can't implement the protocol on the Android side then a connection could not be made.

The protocol can be used on Android. Microsoft's demo app source code has code for an Android app to use Windows nearby share to send files to a PC.

4 hours ago, LAwLz said:

Because one of them would have to abandon their protocol if they wanted to use the same one natively. We are talking about implementing a protocol in both Android and Windows, to enable the two to exchange data. We could just as easily flip the question around and say "why shouldn't Microsoft use the solution provided by the OS manufacturer, Android in this case, to enable this?".

It's not Microsoft's job to implement support for it in Android.

4 hours ago, LAwLz said:

Yeah, Google seems to be the most reluctant to work together with Microsoft. I can't say I blame them after all the terrible things Microsoft did to them during that era. 

Hopefully Google will burry their hatchet soon because I think us consumers could benefit from it.

If the Amazon App store on Windows 11 situation is anything to go by, this attitude won't be going away anytime soon. I don't believe Microsoft wanted to use the Amazon app store for Android apps on Windows 11. They would have chosen Google if that was an option.

4 hours ago, LAwLz said:

 

Okay, but that has nothing to do with how easy or complicated something is. You're moving the goalpost.

 

That's a fair complaint. However, those people are not losing anything with this announcement.

I think it's strange to be upset about a new possibility being opened for one group of people (who represent about 70% of the market) that the group with <3% market share don't get the same feature. I would understand being upset if the <3% group lost something, but I don't get being angry that someone gets something you didn't get. It's very childish in my eyes. 

I am not personally angry about that but some other people might be.

 

It would be nice if Google did later release a version for Linux and macOS if Google could implement their Nearby share tech into apps for both platforms. Something tells me we won't see either though.

[Mark Kaine]

Or just use Bluetooth?  

 

u don't need an app its built in (well in most devices) 

[WhitetailAni]

So it's AirDrop for Windows!

Cool. If only it hadn't taken them 10 years.

[PocketNerd]

Seems like Google and Microsoft don't know that LANDrop exists, and it's cross-platform for every major OS.

[LAwLz]

9 hours ago, RollyShed said:

Why a "worse version" and of what?

As far as security, it is only connectable / seen by another device if it has Dukto booted up. If not running not seen by anyone.

Another similar app is Warpinator, just about as easy to use but not quite..

A worse version of Nearby Share (the program this thread is about).

 

That's still really bad security wise. It doesn't have any permission control from what I can tell, so anyone on the same network can send and receive files to you. 

If you turn it off whenever you don't need it you are minimizing the exposure, but it's still really bad in terms of security. Opening up your PC so that anyone can send files to you is not exactly ideal.

 

Warpinator seems much better than Dukto in that regard.

 

 

 

 

10 hours ago, Bitter said:

At one point I could tap my Samsung S8 or my older Honor 8 to another Android phone to share files, at some point this ability vanished. Shame it did, was really cool.

8 hours ago, Bitter said:

It stopped working when I tried to use it with newer phones, was neat but Google is good about killing off things people like so I don't know if becoming reliant on anything from them is a good idea.

You probably used Android Beam. It used NFC to send files. It was pretty neat but terribly slow. Nearby Share (which this thread is about) is the replacement and works far better. It doesn't require you to hold the phones against each other, and it is way faster.

 

Nearby Share should work on phones as old as Android 6 so it should work on your S8 and Honor 8 as well. Although you might need to turn it on.

[RollyShed]

12 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

A worse version of Nearby Share (the program this thread is about).

 

That's still really bad security wise. It doesn't have any permission control from what I can tell, so anyone on the same network can send and receive files to you. 

If you turn it off whenever you don't need it you are minimizing the exposure, but it's still really bad in terms of security. Opening up your PC so that anyone can send files to you is not exactly ideal.

For the home user and for those in a secure office environment, there should be no problems.

And of course you close it after use.

Who is "anyone"? If you are going to be working in an unknown situation, then yes, use a more rigorous system.

[LAwLz]

5 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

Nobody was arguing that Microsoft would or should let them use it for that.

Yes you did.

Someone was upset that Google released an app for Windows that enabled Nearby Share.

I asked what options Google had rather than implement their own protocol.

You answered by saying they should use Windows' Nearby Sharing.

 

In order to use Windows' Nearby Sharing they would have to implement that in Android, which they can't.

 

 

 

5 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

The code for it is embedded in Project Rome. This is the github for it.

 

https://github.com/Microsoft/project-rome

 

Huh, looks like I was wrong. It seems like Microsoft have open sourced an implementation of their Nearby Sharing for Android.

 

 

If I am not mistaken, it seems like Google's Nearby Share function is also open sourced and under the Apache license. So it seems like both Microsoft and Google could, if they wanted to, abandon their own implementation and implement the others to get true native cross platform compatibility. Which would be nice for us users but I sadly don't think it will happen. 

 

 

6 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

It's not Microsoft's job to implement support for it in Android.

True, but we could also flip it around and say it shouldn't be Google's job to implement support in Windows, yet they seem to be taking on that responsivity the best way they can.

It's also important to remember that we are talking about something that would require rolling out new software to all devices and potentially breaking backwards compatibility. It is far easier for Google to write a program for Windows that implements their own protocol into Windows, than it would be to replace their own protocol with Microsoft's protocol on all phones. Especially since it is a (from what I can tell) fairly widely used feature they'd probably rather not mess with.

 

 

6 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

If the Amazon App store on Windows 11 situation is anything to go by, this attitude won't be going away anytime soon. I don't believe Microsoft wanted to use the Amazon app store for Android apps on Windows 11. They would have chosen Google if that was an option.

Yeah. It seems like Google is more unwilling to work with Microsoft than Microsoft is to work with Google. I don't really blame them though since Microsoft have not exactly treated Google that well historically.

I think Microsoft needs Google more than Google needs Microsoft. That coupled with Google's (in my mind, justified) hostility towards Microsoft means we are in this situation where both companies develop competing standards when it would be better to just have one. It's a shame because we consumers would benefit from them working together. But in the meantime, I think it is good that we have at least one protocol that works on both Windows and Android and allows for quick and easy file transfer. Even if it requires you to download and install one program on Windows for it to work.

 

 

6 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

It would be nice if Google did later release a version for Linux and macOS if Google could implement their Nearby share tech into apps for both platforms. Something tells me we won't see either though.

Yeah, probably not. Maybe MacOS, but probably not Linux. Unless it gets implemented in Chrome again (seems like it has been removed).

[LAwLz]

31 minutes ago, RollyShed said:

For the home user and for those in a secure office environment, there should be no problems.

And of course you close it after use.

Who is "anyone"? If you are going to be working in an unknown situation, then yes, use a more rigorous system.

It's still a problem because you are just leaving your PC open. It's a terrible idea security wise. Even on a secure office network chances are you still allow devices on the same network to transfer files directly to your PC without any authentication needed. That's very, very bad. 

 

Why use an unsecure system and then move to a secure one "when working in an unknown situation" when you could just use the more secure system to begin with, in all situations? I can understand not wanting to use Google's software for various ideological reasons, but Dukto seems to be a pretty shitty alternative because it is incredibly unsecure. You can try and minimize the risks a bit by doing things like closing the program as soon as possible, but if your approach to security is "try and be quick and shut the program down as soon as you can" then it might be a better idea to just not use unsecure programs to begin with. Like I said earlier, Warpinator seems like a better option. Or one of the several other programs mentioned in this thread.

[RollyShed]

2 hours ago, LAwLz said:

It's still a problem because you are just leaving your PC open. It's a terrible idea security wise.

If you leave it running and "walk away", possibly, theoretically, yes.

 

As soon as a device you might not want to communicate with appears on the list of devices seen, you will know who it is. You can then easily shut down your end of it before anyone has a chance to send files. And what files? You know where such files are going to as you set up the destination folder. How is a file going to damage your computer? Even if a virus file, it has to be actioned. If you are really, really worried, check the folder after closing Dukto and delete anything that shouldn't be there.

 

Having used it for years in a variety of places, on dozens of computers, I've yet to find out how any problems can arise.

[mr moose]

16 hours ago, Monkey Dust said:

Graphene OS and Linux will save us! (hopefully)

They will if they come preinstalled on easily available and suitable hardware.    Most users (including a large portion of tech enthusiasts) aren't interested in rooting a phone or trying to install Linux,  they'd rather just enjoy the tech out of the box.  

 

 

[Senzelian]

9 hours ago, FakeKGB said:

So it's AirDrop for Windows!

Cool. If only it hadn't taken them 10 years.

Well... Nearby Share for Android has been a thing for multiple years. Nearby Sharing for Windows I think was available since Win11. Those two still don't work together, which is why this new application is needed. 

 

Nearby Share (Android) has also been released on Chrome OS. So in a sense that is exactly like AirDrop.

 

Microsoft still doesn't really have a phone, so it isn't like AirDrop at all  

 

What would be great if all those devices would work together.

[LAwLz]

2 hours ago, RollyShed said:

If you leave it running and "walk away", possibly, theoretically, yes.

You don't even need to walk away. The only reason why it is flying under the radar (and why you have been safe so far) is because it's a niche program that not many people know about. If it was popular, it would be a massive issue. It's security through obscurity. It's awful design.

 

And you don't have to leave it running and walking way for it to be dangerous. It's dangerous as long as it is running on your PC. Like I said earlier, you can minimize the risk by constantly monitoring the program and shutting it down as quickly as you can, but that's still bad design because that's not something you need to do with more secure alternatives. 

 

 

2 hours ago, RollyShed said:

As soon as a device you might not want to communicate with appears on the list of devices seen, you will know who it is.

No you don't. Because the program doesn't have any built in authentication mechanism. You can't know for sure if a device is the one you want to communicate with, and you can't even be sure that there aren't hidden devices that doesn't show up on the list.

The file transfer isn't even encrypted so anyone sniffing the network would be able to fully download a copy of the files you sent using it.

 

This program is awful and I strongly advice you stop using it right this instant. It really is a security nightmare. 

 

 

2 hours ago, RollyShed said:

You can then easily shut down your end of it before anyone has a chance to send files.

No you can't, because you can't be sure how many people are listening to you. The list of devices in the program itself can not be trusted because it doesn't have any mechanism to verify the information built in. The list can be manipulated to look however a potential attacker wants it to look. An attacker could make their own device appear to be your phone for example. Or an attacker could make themselves not show up on the list of devices.

You can't be sure if someone is grabbing a copy of the files you sent either. Even if you were to send a file from your computer to your phone and everything looked fine, someone could have made a copy of the file in-transit because it is not encrypted.

 

 

2 hours ago, RollyShed said:

And what files? You know where such files are going to as you set up the destination folder. How is a file going to damage your computer? Even if a virus file, it has to be actioned. If you are really, really worried, check the folder after closing Dukto and delete anything that shouldn't be there.

Again, no matter how you try and twist and downplay this, letting anyone transfer files to your computer is a bad idea. All of your suggestions are just mitigations for risks that doesn't exist in other programs. Why use an unsecure and poorly designed program when there are much better alternatives out there, one of which you yourself mentioned?

Your entire post reads like "why not let people put land mines and other bombs into the trunk of your car? As long as you are careful and deactivate them before starting your engine it's fine". How about not letting people put whichever files they want on your PC to begin with?

 

Also, there is plenty of malware that can be activated without a user needing to double click the file. 

For example last year there was a security hole in Windows that affected the preview panel in Explorer. If you had the preview panel enabled, and click on the strange file that someone just transferred you (to select it so that you could delete it) you could had your whole PC compromised. You would have had to delete the file through cmd or some program other than Explorer if you wanted to be safe. And that's assuming you even saw the file to begin with. Most people do not show hidden files by default, and against those people it would be possible to transfer a file that didn't show up on their PC to begin with. And that's assuming you don't accidentally open the file.

Since the file transfer isn't encrypted nor does any verification, it is entirely possible for someone to modify the file being transferred itself if they wanted to. Or they could transfer a file with the same name in order to trick you into opening the wrong one, which is a virus.

 

I can think of a ton of different examples where this could potentially lead to a serious security issue. Opening up your PC so that anyone can send files to you without even requiring approval from you is a horrible idea. It's a very bad idea because even if you take a ton of precautions to try and minimize the risks, it's still risks that better designed programs do not have. It's a completely unnecessary risk.

 

 

2 hours ago, RollyShed said:

Having used it for years in a variety of places, on dozens of computers, I've yet to find out how any problems can arise.

"I've been driving without seatbelts for years and I am fine, so clearly seatbelts are not necessary".

[RollyShed]

8 hours ago, LAwLz said:

And you don't have to leave it running and walking way for it to be dangerous. It's dangerous as long as it is running on your PC.

No you don't. Because the program doesn't have any built in authentication mechanism. You can't know for sure if a device is the one you want to communicate with, and you can't even be sure that there aren't hidden devices that doesn't show up on the list.

Can you explain how a file placed in a folder can effect your computer if it isn't actioned? It is simply a file with a block of code. To make it "go" it needs something to do that.

 

The files to the receiving computer are send to the folder the receiver has set it up to receive them.

 

If a device is going to send something, if it is linked it will be visible as a device Dukto can see.

 

How are people going to be "listening" to you that you don't know are there? Also "listening" to what.

 

Transferring file to another computer - have you never done it? That computer runs that printer. Someone wants a document edited. There are song sheets to be edited from someone else. Someone else can finish the design work on that. File transfer all the time.

 

"For example last year there was a security hole in Windows that affected the preview panel in Explorer." - Windows is a disaster area. My partner's computer was totally wiped by MS in 2018. It only happened to about a million people around the world.

Yes, file transfer called "Updates".

 

Arrh, Updates, yes they are file transfers from another computer. does this mean you never do updates? I certainly would never trust Microsoft as the 2018 October disaster had been preceded by month after month of system breakages by MS.

 

Do you ever update your computer? And do you trust Microsoft? I certainly don't.

 

In the case of the above computer, now, as all the rest I deal with, all run Linux.

 

"a file with the same name in order to trick you into opening the wrong one, which is a virus." - Do you run virus checkers?

 

Seatbelts - the first car I had near 60 years ago I fitted seat belts to as soon as I got it. And I always wear a seatbelt. It eventually became a legal requirement in this country.

[Arika]

1 hour ago, RollyShed said:

Do you ever update your computer? And do you trust Microsoft? I certainly don't.

 

In the case of the above computer, now, as all the rest I deal with, all run Linux

Do you trust the hundreds or thousands of random devs that update packages on Linux? Do you read the source code of every single package you download and update to make sure nothing has been added to it that you don't like?

I've had updates on Linux break more things (fan controller, audio stop working, ethernet unusable, hardware decoding/acceleration disappearing, DE refusing to load because a single mod.probe.d conf had a mispelling and had to fix using tty) than I have on Windows (nothing)

[RollyShed]

55 minutes ago, Arika S said:

I've had updates on Linux break more things (fan controller, audio stop working, ethernet unusable, hardware decoding/acceleration disappearing, DE refusing to load because a single mod.probe.d conf had a mispelling and had to fix using tty) than I have on Windows (nothing)

Never in over a decade have I had that problem on a multitude of computers.

 

MS sacking its test staff and destroying entire systems, that's really a major problem.

Breaking things month after month, and wanting money for their system. That's criminal.

[RedRound2]

About time we get a Airdrop clone.... after like 10 years

 

But in all seriousness, the current implementation seems to require that both the phone and laptop be connected to the same WiFi network, which is a limitation. I couldn't get it to detect the devices otherwise.

 

And while on topic, good god, the Microsoft's nearby share sucks so bad. Windows to Windows transfer is such a pain in the butt because Microsoft with all their infinite wisdom somehow though Bluetooth transfer speeds were enough for a modern 2023 OS. How much more incompetent a company can be, I will never understand.

[LAwLz]

9 hours ago, RollyShed said:

Can you explain how a file placed in a folder can effect your computer if it isn't actioned? It is simply a file with a block of code. To make it "go" it needs something to do that.

1) Simply selecting the file can cause it to be "actioned", so even if you do something as simple as selecting the file in order to delete it, you might have executed malware.

2) Because you might accidentally execute it (even if you are perfect and never accidentally open the wrong file, maybe your mouse decides to double click because it's getting worn out).

3) Because the program doesn't have any encryption or verification built in, you can't actually be sure that the file you sent from for example your phone to your PC hasn't been modified. You might send the file "billing.docx" from your phone to your PC, "billing.docx" might show up on your PC, but it's not the same file because someone else modified it in-flight.

 

 

9 hours ago, RollyShed said:

If a device is going to send something, if it is linked it will be visible as a device Dukto can see.

No, it isn't. That's how the program is suppose to work, and how the unmodified version of the program works, but there is nothing that actually makes it a requirement. Someone with a modified version of Dukto could be invisible because it's the client itself (not the server) that decides what shows up on the visible devices list.

 

 

9 hours ago, RollyShed said:

How are people going to be "listening" to you that you don't know are there? Also "listening" to what.

Maybe you shouldn't talk about security if you don't know the basics. I mean listening for open ports and traffic.

 

9 hours ago, RollyShed said:

Transferring file to another computer - have you never done it? That computer runs that printer. Someone wants a document edited. There are song sheets to be edited from someone else. Someone else can finish the design work on that. File transfer all the time.

What do you mean? I also transfer files all the time, but there is a very big difference between just opening a port and accepting any and all files being sent (in clear text), which is what you are suggesting, and sending a file over an authenticated and encrypted protocol. It's also a very big difference between a program that sends a file in one way but can't receive on the same open connection (like printing) and a program that allows everyone to send and receive to/from everyone else.

 

 

9 hours ago, RollyShed said:

"For example last year there was a security hole in Windows that affected the preview panel in Explorer." - Windows is a disaster area. My partner's computer was totally wiped by MS in 2018. It only happened to about a million people around the world.

Yes, file transfer called "Updates".

 

Arrh, Updates, yes they are file transfers from another computer. does this mean you never do updates? I certainly would never trust Microsoft as the 2018 October disaster had been preceded by month after month of system breakages by MS.

I feel like I am talking above your head and you are not getting the point. My point was that you don't have to double click a malware file in order for it to be executed and infect you. Also, I don't have anything against "file transfer". I have a problem with unsecured, unauthenticated file transfers.

Just to reiterate, I have no problem with the concept of file transfers. What I have a problem with in this case is the way the program you suggested handles file transfers. 

What you are doing right now is the equivalence of this:

You: Just drive while drunk and without seat belts. I have done it for 10 years and I am fine!

Me: That's a very bad idea. You should definitively don't drive while drunk, and you should use seat belts. Doing it the way you describe is dangerous.

You: So you never drive at all? I am sure you do because you mentioned having a car in another post! Gotcha!

Me: It's not the "driving" part I have an issue with, it's the "while drunk and without a seatbelt" part I have an issue with...

 

I don't have an issue with file transfers. I have an issue with doing it without authentication, data integrity and confidentiality.

 

 

 

Just to reiterate, I don't have a problem with "file transfers". What I have an issue with is the specific program you suggested (Dukto) because it is a shitty program that is a massive security risk, and there are dozens of far superior alternatives. You are being reckless and then going "well I have never been impacted so far so it's probably safe", which is a very stupid way of thinking for the same reasons "I have never need a seatbelt before so why should I use one now?" is stupid. Just because you haven't been affected (that you know) in the past doesn't mean you won't be in the future, and it is such an unnecessary risk.

Just use a good program instead and you won't have to constantly close the program as quickly as possible (because having it running is a huge liability), constantly monitor if someone else sent you malware, and constantly have to worry about if someone sniffed the traffic and obtained a copy of your files (which is a risk I don't even know you had considered).

 

 

Dukto is probably one of the worst programs I have ever seen. It's a security nightmare.

 

Anyway, this is my last post about this in this thread. I feel like I am trying to wake someone pretending to be asleep.

[RollyShed]

1 hour ago, LAwLz said:

 

I feel like I am trying to wake someone pretending to be asleep.

No, you are stating what theoretically is possible, not what happens in practice.

 

LAwLz is correct that was is suggested could happen. But you could also get hit by an asteroid.

 

However, working in a closed or known environment it would be very hard for the proposed problems to happen.

 

A majority use Windows and Microsoft with their updates do destroy  complete systems. It happens and is known to happen and it costs.

 

"you might accidentally execute it" - you might trip over the rug on the way to the computer too. Your anti-virus might easily miss a virus.

 

As for "not the same file because someone else modified it in-flight" I'd put in the ridiculous basket.

 

Has anyone done a modified Dukto? Simply not worth the effort as they then have to be "in the same room", on the same network, not out in the world.

What could theoretically happen, and what would ever happen, are so different that LAwLz's suggestions don't add up.

 

Microsoft destroying things does happen yet so many are happy to take the chance.

[LAwLz]

5 hours ago, RollyShed said:

-snip-

"I've never crashed my car, so why should I wear a seatbelt and avoid drinking beer before driving?".

 

Not sure why you keep bringing up Windows and updates. That has nothing to do with our conversation. There are dozens of great file transfer programs for Linux if you want to avoid using Windows. Dukto is not one of them though, because it's a really terrible program and a massive security nightmare.