A light weight free Internet puff drop box service.
About HTTP Vault Terms and Conditions Privacy Statement Contact

HTTP Vault


About HTTP Vault


Welcome to HTTP Vault, a puff file drop box. I developed this site to scratch an itch I've had for a long time -- let's call it the can't-send-that-damn-attachment-because-it's-too-big-for-Microsoft's-mail-server itch. I'm also embarking on a rather complex web/database application for my day job, which requires file uploads, so I've taken this opportunity to learn how to set up a website you can upload files to, by practicing with this one. That's right: I get to scratch my itch while doing some on-the-job training. Life couldn't be better...

The design of this online drop box is rather simple. You upload your file, and when it's done uploading the website assigns your file two rather ugly numbers. These are a unique file ID and a unique deletion code. You can e-mail the file ID to a friend who can then use it to download the file from the site. Make sure you don't share your file ID with anyone other than the person you want to send the file to. Once the file is downloaded by your friend, you can remove the file from the server using the deletion code.

On the file upload page, there is an e-mail field which is optional. If you enter your e-mail address, you will get an e-mail notification of the file upload, including those two ugly ID numbers for your records. You will also be notified by e-mail every time your file is download, as well as when it's removed from the server.

Regarding the files you upload: I strongly suggest you encrypt any file which contains personal data. I assume no one in their right mind would ever upload a file containing important personal information to any site on the internet (including Google, Yahoo, Microsoft e-mail servers, etc.) without encrypting the file first. And that goes for this website as well. You have been warned...

So why do I call it a "puff file drop box"? Well, I can't stand the term "cloud." It's a horrible marketing ploy by the industry so that they can mine all your personal information and online habits and sell all that information to the highest bidder. A cloud conjures up images of a vast ether of digital storage, and my hat's off to the marketing guy who coined the term. (Remember the "grid"? I guess that term wasn't suitable for the general public.) So my "little web server that could" is just as useful as any "cloud" out there, but it's a small little server, so it's a small cloud, like a puff -- a puff file drop box.

One final note: NO ADS! I hate ads! The Internet has become a dumpster of ads that drives me crazy every time I have to surf somewhere online. So on this web site, you can upload your file and stare at my generic black-on-white design, ad-free! Immerse yourself in the digital minimalism. :)

Enjoy the HTTP Vault puff file drop box!