Depending on the level of information technology exposure you have had, when you hear the phrase, file sharing, you may think of exchanging piles of folders, floppy diskettes, CDs or USBs. It used to be that the only way that large files could ever be transferred from one computer to another was by saving them in external memory depositories or drives. There was also electronic mail; but there was little to do with the limited allocated space it provided.

More savvy information technology users, however, have long discovered more practical and faster methods of file sharing: peer-to-peer sharing, or P2P, for sharing files over the Internet and the simple folder sharing over a local area network or LAN. File sharing of this kind involves direct access to other peoples folders and drives when downloading information and data. This may sound a little reckless for some people worried about hackers and the spread of viruses. The truth is that systems administrators in companies and IT experts discourage file sharing to avoid unnecessary risks. However, the convenience and the ease with which users can get access to even the hardest to find files have kept file sharing alive as a practice.

To address security concerns, programmers and producers of file sharing software have developed virus scanners and procedures for their users to follow. An example is the password protection feature. They have also released advisories that not only provide tips on avoiding virus attacks, but also warnings on downloading contents with copyright issues.

Once users get past the restrictions, they can enjoy the full benefits of file sharing. They can download and share full-length movies, songs, games, and software over the Internet for free. Officemates can also share large files with each other without having to use external memory cards. File sharing is expanding the possibilities of information technology.