Single-use download links

Firefox Send
#1

I have some feedback about the Send experiment.

First, I really like the idea of Firefox handling this for me. Client-side encryption is great (as a technical person, I’d like to be able to find out what encryption is used?), and I’d prefer to trust Mozilla with my file data rather than WeTransfer or the like.

On the other hand, the single-use aspect for me would definitely be a reason not to use this; to me, it seems incredibly user-hostile. I have a few use cases in mind:

  1. Testing that the link works as expected before I send it to someone
  2. Seeing the link first on a work machine, but needing to download on a private machine
  3. (Perhaps obviously,) sending a link to multiple people

I think the single-use constraint breaks the mental model for people for how these kinds of services are supposed to work. Expiration clearly makes sense and is a good idea, though; perhaps the single-use constraint could be changed into a variable expiration deadline, default to 24h, allow 5 minutes/1 hour?

1 Like
#2 
Testing that the link works as expected before I send it to someone

View the link without download. Upload a small file to testing the download and self-destruction effect. Providing a demo guide is better.

Seeing the link first on a work machine, but needing to download on a private machine

View the link without download.

(Perhaps obviously,) sending a link to multiple people

This is absolutely necessary for sometimes. It should allow to setting the remove time and counter.

#3

What about an aborted download? Do you need to reupload the file?

#4

I don’t understand what you mean.

#5

If the user fails to download the entire file (bad internet connection). Will the file be removed or there is a way to detect the failed file transfer?

Thanks

#6

I’m also curious about this, I guess it’s hard for re-downloading, detection and then removes is possible but risky (but it is trivial for malicious download & forwarding).

Related issue: