Not sure where to put this, so this seems like a good start.

Need some sort of file transfer prgoram for a graphics design company. They want a page their customers can long into, and when logged in they see files that the graphics company uploaded specifically for them, and hat the customers can download without the use of special software (or at least something non-confusing). On the flip side, they want their customers to be able to send them files to make changes, examples, or for work.

I am sure there are programs like this, Ijust don't know what they are called.
Does anyone have an suggestions? It doesn't need to be something complicated.

Thanks!

Depend on the server side code you can run.

If the client doesn't mind paying a monthly fee you can send them to Base Camp. I think it will do everything your client wants. You can likely find free applications to use, but as Chris mentioned it will depend on what server side languages you can use.

Any programs you suggest or have had good luck with?
I need to know what I am looking at to see what I can or can't do.

I am completely clueless when it comes to this. I know what they are talking about, heck I've used similar software in the past previous jobs, but never set it up, don't know what it's called to even search for.

Look through what Basecamp does. I think in many ways it's connecting several different types of applications. For example a wiki to allow you and the client to edit the same page(s) which might serve as a to do list of sorts or just as general communication between several people instead of sending out emails to everyone.

I don't know if there's going to be one specific program you'll use, but rather several programs that get connected. Maybe there is one or two applications that do most of it though. I'm not really sure.

Think about the functionality you need and then search for that functionality and add open source or similar to your search. That should probably lead you to what you need. A wiki might server most of your needs. Here's an article describing them a bit more. At the bottom it talks about and links to some open source wikis you can use.

That's probably a good place to start. Whatever functionality isn't in there, but you still want try searching to see what you can find. Then you'll have to connect the different applications. That's usually not too hard. Perhaps the most difficult aspect will be getting them to share the same login database, which may or may not be necessary for you.

Thank you for the reply. I thought I did specify what it was I was looking to do, but since you thought some sort of wiki page was the solution, I realized I needed to be a lot more clear. Please allow me to dempnstrate an exercise of which they would like to see play out.

Client: Graphics Company
Company: any one of the client's clients.

Client does job for Company A. Uploads their graphic proof to a web server. When done, Company A get's an email stating their latest proof is availabe for download. Company A goes to clients web site, logs in with their specific username and password, and then sees the specific that are on ther web server that belong to Company A. User from Company A downloads the latest file. They print out the file, mark it up be it photoshop or scribble on it with a pencil. Either way they get it back to electronic form, log back on via clients website, and upload it back to the server. Client recieves an email stating a new file has been placed in Company A's folder. Client then downloads the files, makes the changed requested and the whole process starts over again.

Now the same process goed for Company B. But when Company B logs in, they do not see any of Company A files. No do they see files for Company C, D, E, F....

I hope that explains it a little better. I have been doing research on it. All I know is that you upload and download files via FTP. But when you type in FTP, FTP Server, you get NOTHING like I am specifying. And we are NOT going to expect all of the clients companies to downlaod and learn FTP programs.

Thanks!

Wow. 533 views and no one has done something like this before.

I looked over Base camp, and discussed it with the clients. They feel it has way more features than they need. They wan't something simpler.

Nothing specially complicated about what you are looking for, it's just a file management system.

However there is still one vital piece of information missing.

I suggested the wiki, because I thought it would allow the upload and download of files as well as offering a central place to share notes.

You could just password protect directories and build a file management system in there. If the files aren't too big (I'm guessing they are) email is actually the easiest thing. I work with clients all the time and need to transfer files back and forth. Email works in all but a very small percentage of the time.

Would one of these project management applications work? They'll likely all do more than you need.