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Resolved Alternative to Google Docs

Discussion in 'General Internet' started by sniper9228, 2009/03/28.

  1. 2009/03/28
    sniper9228

    sniper9228 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    What is an alternative to Google Docs?
     
  2. 2009/03/28
    jms1989

    jms1989 Inactive

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    I would have to say Open Office or Abiword. Both are free, open source, and cross platform compatible. The newest version of OpenOffice is compatible with Microsoft's Office 2007 doc files. If you don't want to download a couple hundred megabytes for Openoffice, you can download Abiword for less than 30MB and still get a decent amount of features.
     

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  4. 2009/03/28
    sniper9228

    sniper9228 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I am NOT looking for a program to download. I already bought Microsoft Office.
     
  5. 2009/03/29
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    So what is the background of your original question?
     
  6. 2009/03/29
    sniper9228

    sniper9228 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Found One - Still A Question (Currently Active Thread)

    I found Zoho Docs as a good choice,
    Whether I will use this or not depends on this question.

    I need an ultrasecure way of sending information (documents, spreadsheets, ect to others) NOT MUSIC or P2P. Just (work).

    Is Zoho secure to which others will not be able to sniff information.
    How secure is it.

    That is like the background to my question?
     
    Last edited: 2009/03/29
  7. 2009/03/30
    jms1989

    jms1989 Inactive

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    Uh hmm, nothing still beats printing it and placing it into a black envolope with several layers of material and then securely deleting your data by overwriting it 7 times over.

    Other than that, use a app that can encrypt your files with something equal to or greater than 256bit encryption with a 32 character key filled with random characters (a-z, A-Z,1-9, and any extra characters). That's the best I could come up with.

    Oh, on windows you can use app called Dekart to create a encrypted secure volume for encrypting files. I believe their encryption is something like 256bits. Just a thought.

    I don't believe there is a single word processor that can securely protect your files. It would just use a password that is only secure as your password.
     
  8. 2009/03/30
    sniper9228

    sniper9228 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Getting Tired - I am up too late.

    I hope I make sense by this.

    Because I am on a public network. I do not want others especially the network owner to see the files or text I transfer through email.

    Just the way a firewall is used to protect intruders from your computer. I need a document firewall lol. I know I could use a flash drive or whatever, but the people I need to send and recieve are not close by. I do not want my email attachments to be seen by outsiders.

    That is why I am not looking for a program such as OpenOffice, rather I am looking for a web based file sharing, not P2P, but where the network cannot intercept or see the files I upload and recieve.

    That is why I am asking if Zoho is secure.

    -------------------
    I may make better sense later in the day after some sleep.
     
  9. 2009/03/30
    jms1989

    jms1989 Inactive

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    Oh, well why didn't you say so. :)

    All you need is a web host that uses a secure connection like https or sftp to transfer data. As far as I know, both are pretty secure. https is used on the web interface and sftp for file transfers from a ftp app thats compatible with it like filezilla. Gmail comes to mind as they will let you use a https connection to access your email and of course upload attachments. For secure file transfers, I can't think of a file host that supports it.

    Someone else might know.

    EDIT: It looks at though Zoho is secure but you must append a s to the http part of the url to use the encryption. They use AES-256 256bit encryption so it should be strong. Oh and they have a setting in the account preferences that will force the browser to use the https connection. :)

    https://writer.zoho.com/index.do#

    Cheers!
     
    Last edited: 2009/03/30
  10. 2009/03/31
    sniper9228

    sniper9228 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks: so far

    Sorry I did not make myself clear the first time. You have been the best help so far with this thread on this post.


    What does this do?
    Use Secure Access
    on the login?

    Does that automatically make it https or what?
     
  11. 2009/03/31
    jms1989

    jms1989 Inactive

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    It looks like it makes it login through https and run your apps through https. So, yes. :p
     
  12. 2009/03/31
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    If onbly concerned about secure transfers via email then just use PGP. It encrypts and decrypts using a shared key.
    PGP
     
  13. 2009/03/31
    sniper9228

    sniper9228 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I do not see a freeware one of PGP. Is there any freeware one that is just like PGP?
     
  14. 2009/03/31
    sniper9228

    sniper9228 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    How would I use ftp again, don't fully understand what you mean by that?
     
  15. 2009/03/31
    jms1989

    jms1989 Inactive

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    With a ftp clients of course. Filezilla is a great ftp client that is will work with the traditional ftp protocal and the sftp protocol which is simply ftp through ssh. Ssh by itself basicly allows you access to a linux shell prompt or perhaps even a windows shell through a secure connection.

    All you really need is a ftp client and a webhost or filehost that provides ftp access. Traditionally, ftp is normally used to upload user html files, images, or other code but it can be use for uploading to a filehost that will also serve the file through the web so one can simply download by clicking a url. To find a file host that provides sftp service could pose a challenge but is nonetheless possible. To use the protocol, one must provide a shell account but due to the possibility of someone gaining shell access poses a security hazard as one could easily hack the server once he or she is in but that largely depends on if he could gain access to the admin or root account or just have a root or admin password.

    For someone just looking to securely upload files, you just need a file host that provide https access coupled with a upload field. I can't name one that provides that other than Zoho. Well, freely, that is.

    Does that make any since?
     
  16. 2009/03/31
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    FYI, FTP is not secure at all. Usernames and passwords in FTP are sent in clear text. SFTP or SSH is secure. However, to use either, you would have to use a FTP Client software or SFTP Client or SSH Client to connect to a FTP server or SSH server. The recipients of your docs are not likely running servers on their desktop computers, thus you would have to use an intermediary host, a Web site where you can store your docs, and one that allows SFTP or SSH access. Most cheap Web hosts only allow FTP.

    One of the best free SFTP-SSH clients is WinSCP. Google it.

    The PGP application I linked to ablove is a demo version, but the needed function of PGP for emailing secure docs will run indefinitely for free.

    PGP file encryption and signing, PGP Zip, “Current Window”, and “Clipboard” functionality will continue to allow encryption, and you will still be able to use the decryption capabilities for all PGP Desktop Trial product functions, thus ensuring that any encrypted data remains accessible.

    Use email to send PGP zip files of your wannabe secure docs.

    Yoy can also use the very good and 100% free GnuPG. The Windows version is called GnuPG4win. How to use the Windows version of GnuPG: User Guide
     
    Last edited: 2009/03/31
  17. 2009/04/02
    sniper9228

    sniper9228 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks

    Thanks for all of the help.
    I will look into all of what you said.
    I am going to look at GnuPG.
     
    Last edited: 2009/04/02
  18. 2009/04/12
    sniper9228

    sniper9228 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    update

    Well, I tried Google Docs again, seems to be working well after getting very familiar with it.
     

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