For us, it seems to be the cryptic security and permissions crap involved in sharing files. We somehow couldn't find any of our memory sticks today and we resorted to attempting to share files. It never works the first try anymore. "You don't have permission..." if you're a public user, because the permissions have somehow been set incorrectly...or you need to log on as the owner of the box. Or whatever.
Windows has taken us back to the dark ages. Next thing our source control will stop working.
Sounds like you need Dropbox.
http://www.getdropbox.com/
Posted by: Parveen Kaler | October 14, 2009 at 10:54 PM
I've used Windows Live SkyDrive quite a bit for situations like that lately. It's got a nice quota (5 GBs per Windows Live ID *and* Windows Live Groups), and the permissions are very easy (just need someone's Windows Live ID to share).
I'm also actually quite fond of Live Mesh. It has a similarly large quota, but also real-time synchronization coolness for more timely project interactions. (It has Mac support, but if it had Linux/Mono support it would be near perfect.)
Posted by: Max Battcher | October 15, 2009 at 06:58 AM
The answer to your question appears to be "User Error"
Posted by: Jason | October 15, 2009 at 08:48 AM
Assuming you are not running a domain, nor have someone to administrate the domain, the two best things you can ever do for yourself and this issue for Windows is:
Go to Folder Options->View tab, scroll to the bottom and turn off Use Sharing Wizard(Vista, Win7) or Use simple file sharing(Windows XP). This feature is the devil and will cause you massive headaches.
Whenever you share something, right click on the shared folder, go to the Sharing tab, click the Permissions button and give Everyone Full Control. This effectively disables Sharing Permissions(something to do with network permissions and machine permissions, I think) and causes Windows to fall back on normal file permissions through the Security tab. As long as you have users and usernames setup, or one generic user with access, everything works just fine over the network.
If you do have a Windows administrator with a domain then you need to get a new one because he is not doing his job properly.
Posted by: Ted | October 15, 2009 at 10:41 AM
I had a similar problem. I got a brand new Dell with Vista, put it into my home network and spent the next week trying to figure out why I couldn't share it.
In my case turned out it was some registry setting. The funny thing is, according the docs I found, it was NOT set to the default. Who changed it from the default, Dell or MS, I don't know but setting it to the default made my sharing work.
Of course stupid me, I have no idea what that setting was and lost the link to the page :-(
Posted by: greggman | October 15, 2009 at 10:33 PM
I generally just install a FTP server if I need to share files and Windows file sharing is (as usual) acting up. It works!
Posted by: jalf | October 19, 2009 at 03:50 AM