Andrew, 2024-01-10 05:20:

> Carlos E.R. wrote on Tue, 9 Jan 2024 23:00:12 +0100 :
>
>>> Oh my... A USB driver *is* software too.
>>
>> Huh, no. Comes by default, nothing has to be installed.
>
> It's not really important because the objections that Arno Welzel were
> ridiculous in that both solutions work quite well without configuration.

The latter one needs

a) Internet access

b) The user has to know a website like <https://www.sharedrop.io/> -
without that knowledge he can not exchange files at all

> If I use the same fault-finding level, I point out the correct USB driver
> has to be INSTALLED as an additional driver on Windows when you plug it in.

No, it hasn't. The driver is already installed. Windows will only
activate the device in the device manager,

> Sure, that's automatic. Most of the time. If you're lucky. But it's added.

No, not "if you're lucky".

--
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de

On 2024-01-10 17:34, Arno Welzel wrote:
> Andrew, 2024-01-10 05:20:
>
>> Carlos E.R. wrote on Tue, 9 Jan 2024 23:00:12 +0100 :
>>
>>>> Oh my... A USB driver *is* software too.
>>>
>>> Huh, no. Comes by default, nothing has to be installed.
>>
>> It's not really important because the objections that Arno Welzel were
>> ridiculous in that both solutions work quite well without configuration.
>
> The latter one needs
>
> a) Internet access
>
> b) The user has to know a website like <https://www.sharedrop.io/> -
> without that knowledge he can not exchange files at all

Not something I'm inclined to do when copying private files.

If I want to copy files using WiFi in my LAN (which sometimes I do, for
various reasons), I can try the functionality on my phone to send files
"nearby", which is an option in the Google Files app, for instance.
Doesn't need a LAN, I believe, the finding is done using BT.

I don't know if other tools can use the "Nearby" facility, so I don't
know if this is an "out of the box" facility, because I installed "Files".

Or I would use an FTP server, or some other app on the phone to share
files, or connect to a server on my LAN. Some tools like Ghost Commander
can do that. This is not out of the box, though.

>> If I use the same fault-finding level, I point out the correct USB driver
>> has to be INSTALLED as an additional driver on Windows when you plug it in.
>
> No, it hasn't. The driver is already installed. Windows will only
> activate the device in the device manager,
>
>> Sure, that's automatic. Most of the time. If you're lucky. But it's added.
>
> No, not "if you're lucky".

Same on Linux, the USB connection works out of the box, nothing to
install, ever.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

On Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:30:24 +0100, Arno Welzel wrote:

> By default neither Windows nor macOS or Linux have any software built in
> which privides this.

Wrong. Firefox has it built in. So does Chrome. Safari too.

Your incorrect claim "neither Windows nor macOS or Linux has" Firefox,
Chrome or Safari is just wrong. It means you don't understand anything.

What is funny is what they don't have are the correct USB drivers.
That's "additional software" that has to be installed for USB to work.

On Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:32:18 +0100, Arno Welzel wrote:

>> With USB you need to connect to another USB device where a USB driver is
>> running, as for example a Windows computer with USB.
>
> But the driver is already built in!
>
> You don't get it.

Wrong. Firefox has it built in. So does Chrome. Safari too.

Your incorrect claim "neither Windows nor macOS or Linux has" Firefox,
Chrome or Safari is just wrong. It means you don't understand anything.

What is funny is what they don't have are the correct USB drivers.
That's "additional software" that has to be installed for USB to work.

Carlos E.R. wrote on Wed, 10 Jan 2024 23:40:14 +0100 :

>> b) The user has to know a website like <https://www.sharedrop.io/> -
>> without that knowledge he can not exchange files at all
>
> Not something I'm inclined to do when copying private files.

There are lots of ways to copy files but Arno Welzel insisted on no
configuration & no additional software - which is when sharedrop came in.

> If I want to copy files using WiFi in my LAN (which sometimes I do, for
> various reasons), I can try the functionality on my phone to send files
> "nearby", which is an option in the Google Files app, for instance.
> Doesn't need a LAN, I believe, the finding is done using BT.

That works too as do many other ways but Arno Welzel insisted on no
additional software and no configuration, so BT fails /his/ test.

Besides, BT requires hardware even worse than USB requires hardware.
The peer-to-peer solution requires no hardware other than working Wi-Fi.

> I don't know if other tools can use the "Nearby" facility, so I don't
> know if this is an "out of the box" facility, because I installed "Files".

The solution proposed /is/ an out of the box facility that just works.
It requires no additional software and no configuration.

USB requires short distances and a compatible cable.
Peer-to-peer requires Wi-Fi and an Internet discovery.

> Or I would use an FTP server, or some other app on the phone to share
> files, or connect to a server on my LAN. Some tools like Ghost Commander
> can do that. This is not out of the box, though.

But that fails Arno Welzel's test of no additional software & no config.
>> No, not "if you're lucky".
>
> Same on Linux, the USB connection works out of the box, nothing to
> install, ever.

If we limit the solutions to Arno Welzel's requirement of no additional
software and no configuration, both USB and peer-to-peer transfers work.

Nothing else that I know of requires no additional software & no
configuration. Do you know of anything else that fits Arno's requirements?

On 2024-01-11 04:41, Andrew wrote:
> Carlos E.R. wrote on Wed, 10 Jan 2024 23:40:14 +0100 :
>
>>> b) The user has to know a website like <https://www.sharedrop.io/> -
>>> without that knowledge he can not exchange files at all
>>
>> Not something I'm inclined to do when copying private files.
>
> There are lots of ways to copy files but Arno Welzel insisted on no
> configuration & no additional software - which is when sharedrop came in.
>
>> If I want to copy files using WiFi in my LAN (which sometimes I do, for
>> various reasons), I can try the functionality on my phone to send files
>> "nearby", which is an option in the Google Files app, for instance.
>> Doesn't need a LAN, I believe, the finding is done using BT.
>
> That works too as do many other ways but Arno Welzel insisted on no
> additional software and no configuration, so BT fails /his/ test.
>
> Besides, BT requires hardware even worse than USB requires hardware.
> The peer-to-peer solution requires no hardware other than working Wi-Fi.

Huh, no.

BT is included hardware, same as WiFi. All current phones include it,
since maybe a decade.

>
>> I don't know if other tools can use the "Nearby" facility, so I don't
>> know if this is an "out of the box" facility, because I installed "Files".
>
> The solution proposed /is/ an out of the box facility that just works.
> It requires no additional software and no configuration.

It requires an external service to intermediate. That can be considered
an external configuration service.

>
> USB requires short distances and a compatible cable.
> Peer-to-peer requires Wi-Fi and an Internet discovery.
>
>> Or I would use an FTP server, or some other app on the phone to share
>> files, or connect to a server on my LAN. Some tools like Ghost Commander
>> can do that. This is not out of the box, though.
>
> But that fails Arno Welzel's test of no additional software & no config.
>
>>> No, not "if you're lucky".
>>
>> Same on Linux, the USB connection works out of the box, nothing to
>> install, ever.
>
> If we limit the solutions to Arno Welzel's requirement of no additional
> software and no configuration, both USB and peer-to-peer transfers work.
>
> Nothing else that I know of requires no additional software & no
> configuration. Do you know of anything else that fits Arno's requirements?

--
Cheers, Carlos.

Oscar Mayer, 2024-01-11 04:27:

> On Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:30:24 +0100, Arno Welzel wrote:
>
>> By default neither Windows nor macOS or Linux have any software built in
>> which privides this.
>
> Wrong. Firefox has it built in. So does Chrome. Safari too.

Firefox, Chrome and Safari have a link to websites like
<https://www.sharedrop.io/> built in? Where?

> Your incorrect claim "neither Windows nor macOS or Linux has" Firefox,
> Chrome or Safari is just wrong. It means you don't understand anything.

No, *you* don't understand anything. It's about *not* knowing what
website or additional(!) software one has to visit to be able to use
WebRTC for file transfer.

> What is funny is what they don't have are the correct USB drivers.

They are

> That's "additional software" that has to be installed for USB to work.

No. This happens automatically. A user does not have to do anything at
all for this except allowing data transfer on his smartphone.

Ok, a practical test, maybe you understand it then:

1) Go to a person with an Android smartphone and a USB cable who does
*not* know any website providing WebRTC file transfer services.

2) Tell the person to use the USB cable to connect the smartphone with
the computer, wait until the phone shows up in the file manager of the
operating system and transfer files from the phone to the computer.

3) Now tell the person to remove the USB cable and use WebRTC instead
for the same operation - of course *without* telling any website for
this. Because as you claim the existance of WebRTC alone is a complete
subsitute for using an USB cable.

--
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de

Carlos E.R., 2024-01-10 23:40:

> On 2024-01-10 17:34, Arno Welzel wrote:
>> Andrew, 2024-01-10 05:20:
[...]
>>> It's not really important because the objections that Arno Welzel were
>>> ridiculous in that both solutions work quite well without configuration.
>>
>> The latter one needs
>>
>> a) Internet access
>>
>> b) The user has to know a website like <https://www.sharedrop.io/> -
>> without that knowledge he can not exchange files at all
>
> Not something I'm inclined to do when copying private files.
>
> If I want to copy files using WiFi in my LAN (which sometimes I do, for
> various reasons), I can try the functionality on my phone to send files
> "nearby", which is an option in the Google Files app, for instance.
> Doesn't need a LAN, I believe, the finding is done using BT.
>
> I don't know if other tools can use the "Nearby" facility, so I don't
> know if this is an "out of the box" facility, because I installed "Files".

At least Windows and Linux do *not* proviude a similar feature without
using a browser - because *WebRTC* is a browser based technology. And
the service provided by <https://www.sharedrop.io/> is of course *not*
only the protocol WebRTC but is a *software* developed in JavaScript
running in the browser to provide this feature.

And no, the data is not transmitted to the server, it is directly
transferred from the Smartphone to the Computer since they both "see"
each other when accessing this website. But of course you need to open a
browser on both devices and visit that website to initiate the connection.

> Or I would use an FTP server, or some other app on the phone to share
> files, or connect to a server on my LAN. Some tools like Ghost Commander
> can do that. This is not out of the box, though.

Or Cx File Exporer or many other file managers which provide this.

But this is exactly my point:

Using a USB cable you do *not* need any app on the smartphone at all and
PTP/MTP via USB is *built* *in* to Windows or macOS. You do *not* have
install anything at all - just wait a moment, if the device is connected
for the very first time.

--
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de

Andrew, 2024-01-11 04:41:

> Carlos E.R. wrote on Wed, 10 Jan 2024 23:40:14 +0100 :
>
>>> b) The user has to know a website like <https://www.sharedrop.io/> -
>>> without that knowledge he can not exchange files at all
>>
>> Not something I'm inclined to do when copying private files.
>
> There are lots of ways to copy files but Arno Welzel insisted on no
> configuration & no additional software - which is when sharedrop came in.

No - I insist on using devices without *ANY* external resource at all!
NOTHING! No website, no software - just the hardware you have:
Smartphone, Computer, USB cable.

And the claim "WebRTC is the same as using a USB cable, you don't need
anyhing at all for this" is just bullshit, because of course you need to
have internet access and you need to know what website to visit for that.

--
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de

Oscar Mayer, 2024-01-11 04:29:

> On Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:32:18 +0100, Arno Welzel wrote:
>
>>> With USB you need to connect to another USB device where a USB driver is
>>> running, as for example a Windows computer with USB.
>>
>> But the driver is already built in!
>>
>> You don't get it.
>
> Wrong. Firefox has it built in. So does Chrome. Safari too.

WebRTC alone is *not* enough! You still need to know what website to visit.

--
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de

On 2024-01-11 18:09, Arno Welzel wrote:
> Carlos E.R., 2024-01-10 23:40:
>> On 2024-01-10 17:34, Arno Welzel wrote:
>>> Andrew, 2024-01-10 05:20:
> [...]
>>>> It's not really important because the objections that Arno Welzel were
>>>> ridiculous in that both solutions work quite well without configuration.
>>>
>>> The latter one needs
>>>
>>> a) Internet access
>>>
>>> b) The user has to know a website like <https://www.sharedrop.io/> -
>>> without that knowledge he can not exchange files at all
>>
>> Not something I'm inclined to do when copying private files.
>>
>> If I want to copy files using WiFi in my LAN (which sometimes I do, for
>> various reasons), I can try the functionality on my phone to send files
>> "nearby", which is an option in the Google Files app, for instance.
>> Doesn't need a LAN, I believe, the finding is done using BT.
>>
>> I don't know if other tools can use the "Nearby" facility, so I don't
>> know if this is an "out of the box" facility, because I installed "Files".
>
> At least Windows and Linux do *not* proviude a similar feature without
> using a browser - because *WebRTC* is a browser based technology. And
> the service provided by <https://www.sharedrop.io/> is of course *not*
> only the protocol WebRTC but is a *software* developed in JavaScript
> running in the browser to provide this feature.

Ah, ok. Interesting.

Yes, in that case it is running external software.

>
> And no, the data is not transmitted to the server, it is directly
> transferred from the Smartphone to the Computer since they both "see"
> each other when accessing this website. But of course you need to open a
> browser on both devices and visit that website to initiate the connection.

And to "download" and run the external software.

It is of course an interesting method, if one doesn't want to /install/
an application and cable is not an option for whatever reason.

>
>> Or I would use an FTP server, or some other app on the phone to share
>> files, or connect to a server on my LAN. Some tools like Ghost Commander
>> can do that. This is not out of the box, though.
>
> Or Cx File Exporer or many other file managers which provide this.
>
> But this is exactly my point:
>
> Using a USB cable you do *not* need any app on the smartphone at all and
> PTP/MTP via USB is *built* *in* to Windows or macOS. You do *not* have
> install anything at all - just wait a moment, if the device is connected
> for the very first time.

Yes, of course.

However, sometimes wifi is more convenient, or even the only method,
like when the USB connector is faulty. So I only wanted to mention what
methods I used for WiFi transfer.

I will add WebRTC to my notes on how to transfer files as another
possibility.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

On Thu, 11 Jan 2024 18:03:23 +0100, Arno Welzel wrote:

> Firefox, Chrome and Safari have a link to websites like
> <https://www.sharedrop.io/> built in? Where?

I'm not even going to respond to that because only an idiot says that they
want all their web browsers to be pre-loaded with every URL they may use.

That you've never heard of a bookmark shows what an absolute idiot you are.

>> Your incorrect claim "neither Windows nor macOS or Linux has" Firefox,
>> Chrome or Safari is just wrong. It means you don't understand anything.
>
> No, *you* don't understand anything. It's about *not* knowing what
> website or additional(!) software one has to visit to be able to use
> WebRTC for file transfer.

That statement shows that you are an idiot because you're claiming that
every web browser must pre-load every URL you will ever want to visit.

What kind of absolute idiot makes the idiotic claims you are making?

>> What is funny is what they don't have are the correct USB drivers.
>
> They are

While it's usually done without errors, there are times when the PC
installs an old or incorrect driver which you are completely unaware of.

>> That's "additional software" that has to be installed for USB to work.
>
> No. This happens automatically. A user does not have to do anything at
> all for this except allowing data transfer on his smartphone.

You are an idiot because nobody but an idiot would claim that the PC always
installs the correct USB driver for every phone and updates it accordingly.

> Ok, a practical test, maybe you understand it then:

You are an idiot because you claim there is no additional software with USB
and yet all your examples show there is additional software with USB.

> 3) Now tell the person to remove the USB cable and use WebRTC instead
> for the same operation - of course *without* telling any website for
> this. Because as you claim the existance of WebRTC alone is a complete
> subsitute for using an USB cable.

You are an idiot because you think everyone always has a five hundred foot
long USB cable available so that they can connect to any device at home.

Because you are an idiot, there's no way to get you to not say idiotic
statements so I will simply summarize for the people who are not idiots.

[1] If you have compatible cables & ports handy and if the distance
is extremely close, then you will find USB easy to use.

[2] If you don't have compatible cables or ports or if the distance
is not extremely close, then you will find peer-to-peer easy to use.

[3] USB requires short distances. Peer-to-peer discovery requires the net.

[4] Neither requires additional software. Neither requires configuration.

Because you are an idiot, there's nothing possible to learn from any more
of your idiotic nonsense so this summary is not for you. It's for others.

Carlos E.R. wrote on Thu, 11 Jan 2024 11:29:26 +0100 :

> BT is included hardware, same as WiFi. All current phones include it,
> since maybe a decade.

I'm all for solutions that work so I'd like to test out your BT suggestion.

My desktop doesn't have bluetooth but my kid's laptop does have bluetooth.
My phone has bluetooth.

I don't know about Bluetooth versions, but let's assume compatibility.

Without any software nor configuration, how would you suggest I copy a file
from my phone downstairs to my kid's laptop upstairs using just bluetooth?
>>> I don't know if other tools can use the "Nearby" facility, so I don't
>>> know if this is an "out of the box" facility, because I installed "Files".
>>
>> The solution proposed /is/ an out of the box facility that just works.
>> It requires no additional software and no configuration.
>
> It requires an external service to intermediate. That can be considered
> an external configuration service.

Even with configuration, but without software (as per Arno, not me), can
you tell me how to copy a file over BT from my phone to my kid's laptop?

I'd like to try it out as it's always good to have multiple ways to do it.
Especially since USB is for very short distances but BT can go farther.

Andrew wrote:

> Even with configuration, but without software (as per Arno, not me), can
> you tell me how to copy a file over BT from my phone to my kid's laptop?

On the laptop, run fsquirt.exe, tell it to receive.

Then on the phone select your file, click the share* icon, choose your
laptop as the device.

[*]
<https://www.iconarchive.com/show/iconoir-icons-by-iconoir-team/share-android-icon.html>

Oscar Mayer, 2024-01-11 23:35:

> On Thu, 11 Jan 2024 18:03:23 +0100, Arno Welzel wrote:
>
>> Firefox, Chrome and Safari have a link to websites like
>> <https://www.sharedrop.io/> built in? Where?
>
> I'm not even going to respond to that because only an idiot says that they
> want all their web browsers to be pre-loaded with every URL they may use.

You still don't get my point.

When using a USB cable you don't need to know any website at all.

[...]
>> 3) Now tell the person to remove the USB cable and use WebRTC instead
>> for the same operation - of course *without* telling any website for
>> this. Because as you claim the existance of WebRTC alone is a complete
>> subsitute for using an USB cable.
>
> You are an idiot because you think everyone always has a five hundred foot
> long USB cable available so that they can connect to any device at home.

No, I assume, when someone wants to transfer data from their Android
smartphone to a computer, that the computer is not five hundret foot
away, but within a distance of 1 or 2 meter. That's the normal use case
for USB cables.

> Because you are an idiot, there's no way to get you to not say idiotic
> statements so I will simply summarize for the people who are not idiots.
>
> [1] If you have compatible cables & ports handy and if the distance
> is extremely close, then you will find USB easy to use.

Well - I usually sit directly in front of my laptop or next to my
desktop computer when working with it and of course my smartphone is
then also there. Is that "extremely close" to you?

> [2] If you don't have compatible cables or ports or if the distance
> is not extremely close, then you will find peer-to-peer easy to use.

I did not have any device since Android came out, where manufacturers
did not provide a compatible cable for it.

> [3] USB requires short distances. Peer-to-peer discovery requires the net.
>
> [4] Neither requires additional software. Neither requires configuration.

WebRTC requires to know which website to use.

> Because you are an idiot, there's nothing possible to learn from any more
> of your idiotic nonsense so this summary is not for you. It's for others.

The original poster was using an USB cable!

Quote:

"Sometimes I plug my phone into the computer and a little boc pops up
asking it I want to treat the phone like a USB drive, and all is well."

And then some posts later "Oliver" came up with this:

"Not if you use WebRTC."

And this without *any* explanation for the original poster how to this!

No, just saying "use WebRTC" and saying "most browsers support this" is
of course not enough - you have to know a website providing this service
as well and you need to have internet connection.

--
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de

Andy Burns, 2024-01-12 11:28:

> Andrew wrote:
>
>> Even with configuration, but without software (as per Arno, not me), can
>> you tell me how to copy a file over BT from my phone to my kid's laptop?
>
> On the laptop, run fsquirt.exe, tell it to receive.
>
> Then on the phone select your file, click the share* icon, choose your
> laptop as the device.
>
> [*]
> <https://www.iconarchive.com/show/iconoir-icons-by-iconoir-team/share-android-icon.html>

One of the few useful suggestions here, thanks! Better than just saying
"use Bluetooth, it's already build in to your phone" ;-)

--
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de

On 2024-01-11 23:47, Andrew wrote:
> Carlos E.R. wrote on Thu, 11 Jan 2024 11:29:26 +0100 :
>
>> BT is included hardware, same as WiFi. All current phones include it,
>> since maybe a decade.
>
> I'm all for solutions that work so I'd like to test out your BT suggestion.
>
> My desktop doesn't have bluetooth but my kid's laptop does have bluetooth.
> My phone has bluetooth.
>
> I don't know about Bluetooth versions, but let's assume compatibility.
>
> Without any software nor configuration, how would you suggest I copy a file
> from my phone downstairs to my kid's laptop upstairs using just bluetooth?

Sorry, I was thinking phone to phone.

I don't know if computers support "Nearby" (probably ™)

--
Cheers, Carlos.

On 2024-01-14 13:40, Arno Welzel wrote:
> Andy Burns, 2024-01-12 11:28:
>
>> Andrew wrote:
>>
>>> Even with configuration, but without software (as per Arno, not me), can
>>> you tell me how to copy a file over BT from my phone to my kid's laptop?
>>
>> On the laptop, run fsquirt.exe, tell it to receive.
>>
>> Then on the phone select your file, click the share* icon, choose your
>> laptop as the device.
>>
>> [*]
>> <https://www.iconarchive.com/show/iconoir-icons-by-iconoir-team/share-android-icon.html>
>
> One of the few useful suggestions here, thanks! Better than just saying
> "use Bluetooth, it's already build in to your phone" ;-)

Use BT and the "Nearby" feature, I said.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nearby_Share

--
Cheers, Carlos.

Carlos E.R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
> On 2024-01-11 23:47, Andrew wrote:
> > Carlos E.R. wrote on Thu, 11 Jan 2024 11:29:26 +0100 :
> >
> >> BT is included hardware, same as WiFi. All current phones include it,
> >> since maybe a decade.
> >
> > I'm all for solutions that work so I'd like to test out your BT suggestion.
> >
> > My desktop doesn't have bluetooth but my kid's laptop does have bluetooth.
> > My phone has bluetooth.
> >
> > I don't know about Bluetooth versions, but let's assume compatibility.
> >
> > Without any software nor configuration, how would you suggest I copy a file
> > from my phone downstairs to my kid's laptop upstairs using just bluetooth?
>
> Sorry, I was thinking phone to phone.
>
> I don't know if computers support "Nearby" (probably ?)

Your Wikipedia reference [1] says Nearby Share is supported on Windows
(and ChromeOS). It points to android.com without a direct reference, but
they also point to two articles, on Android Central one.

I went to android.com, searched on 'Nearby Share' and found:

'Wireless sharing with your PC, made easy.'
'Send and receive photos, documents and more between nearby Android
devices1 and Windows PCs.'
<https://www.android.com/better-together/nearby-share-app/>

I haven't downloaded/tried the Windows 'app' yet. (First have to get
Bluetooth working (phone fails to connect to laptop). Or I might try
Wi-Fi instead.)

Of course this fails the no-extra-software requirement, but maybe
useful in cases when this requirement is a non-issue.

[1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nearby_Share>

On 2024-01-14 17:21, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> Carlos E.R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:
>> On 2024-01-11 23:47, Andrew wrote:
>>> Carlos E.R. wrote on Thu, 11 Jan 2024 11:29:26 +0100 :
>>>
>>>> BT is included hardware, same as WiFi. All current phones include it,
>>>> since maybe a decade.
>>>
>>> I'm all for solutions that work so I'd like to test out your BT suggestion.
>>>
>>> My desktop doesn't have bluetooth but my kid's laptop does have bluetooth.
>>> My phone has bluetooth.
>>>
>>> I don't know about Bluetooth versions, but let's assume compatibility.
>>>
>>> Without any software nor configuration, how would you suggest I copy a file
>>> from my phone downstairs to my kid's laptop upstairs using just bluetooth?
>>
>> Sorry, I was thinking phone to phone.
>>
>> I don't know if computers support "Nearby" (probably ?)
>
> Your Wikipedia reference [1] says Nearby Share is supported on Windows
> (and ChromeOS). It points to android.com without a direct reference, but
> they also point to two articles, on Android Central one.
>
> I went to android.com, searched on 'Nearby Share' and found:
>
> 'Wireless sharing with your PC, made easy.'
> 'Send and receive photos, documents and more between nearby Android
> devices1 and Windows PCs.'
> <https://www.android.com/better-together/nearby-share-app/>
>
> I haven't downloaded/tried the Windows 'app' yet. (First have to get
> Bluetooth working (phone fails to connect to laptop). Or I might try
> Wi-Fi instead.)

I suspect you have to install the "app" first, because otherwise the BT
linking might not happen, as the computer reports the wrong protocols
supported.

And it has to be BT.

The protocol uses BT to find the other device "nearby", and then they
exchange the WiFi credentials to create a bigger bandwidth connection.

>
> Of course this fails the no-extra-software requirement, but maybe
> useful in cases when this requirement is a non-issue.

Yep.

>
> [1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nearby_Share>

--
Cheers, Carlos.

Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> wrote:
> Oscar Mayer, 2024-01-11 23:35:
>
> > On Thu, 11 Jan 2024 18:03:23 +0100, Arno Welzel wrote:
> >
> >> Firefox, Chrome and Safari have a link to websites like
> >> <https://www.sharedrop.io/> built in? Where?
> >
> > I'm not even going to respond to that because only an idiot says that they
> > want all their web browsers to be pre-loaded with every URL they may use.
>
> You still don't get my point.
>
> When using a USB cable you don't need to know any website at all.

And no Internet!

When we're in the boonies, without any Internet - mobile or otherwise -
I often need to copy stuff from my phone to my laptop or vice versa, so
then USB is the simplest solution. There are other solutions, like
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, etc., but IME they're not that easy to setup
or/and do require extra software.

[...]

On 14 Jan 2024 19:44:58 GMT, Frank Slootweg wrote:

> When we're in the boonies, without any Internet - mobile or otherwise -
> I often need to copy stuff from my phone to my laptop or vice versa, so
> then USB is the simplest solution. There are other solutions, like
> Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, etc., but IME they're not that easy to setup
> or/and do require extra software.

Arno Welzel's whole argument is that there is only one screwdriver.

Only flathead.
No Phillips.

But most people aren't as rigid as he is in the way they think.
Most people prefer simple solutions that fit their needs.

As with different shaped screwdrivers - - -

Each solution solves a problem that the other solutions don't.
Each solution has a requirement that the other solutions don't.

Neither uses more software. Neither less.
Neither requires more configuration. Neither less.

Neither is better.
Neither is worse.

They're different.
Just like Bluetooth file transfer is different.

These solutions are like different shaped screwdrivers.
You likely want one of each shape in your toolbox.

[1] USB
[2] Wi-Fi peer-to-peer
[3] Bluetooth peer-to-peer

Any others?

On 1/14/24 4:21 PM, Oscar Mayer wrote:
>On 14 Jan 2024 19:44:58 GMT, Frank Slootweg wrote:
>
>> When we're in the boonies, without any Internet - mobile or otherwise -
>> I often need to copy stuff from my phone to my laptop or vice versa, so
>> then USB is the simplest solution. There are other solutions, like
>> Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, etc., but IME they're not that easy to setup
>> or/and do require extra software.
>
>These solutions are like different shaped screwdrivers.
>You likely want one of each shape in your toolbox.
>
> [1] USB
> [2] Wi-Fi peer-to-peer
> [3] Bluetooth peer-to-peer
>
>Any others?

I often use an SD card...

AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:
> On 1/14/24 4:21 PM, Oscar Mayer wrote:
> >On 14 Jan 2024 19:44:58 GMT, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> >
> >> When we're in the boonies, without any Internet - mobile or otherwise -
> >> I often need to copy stuff from my phone to my laptop or vice versa, so
> >> then USB is the simplest solution. There are other solutions, like
> >> Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, etc., but IME they're not that easy to setup
> >> or/and do require extra software.
> >
> >These solutions are like different shaped screwdrivers.
> >You likely want one of each shape in your toolbox.
> >
> > [1] USB
> > [2] Wi-Fi peer-to-peer
> > [3] Bluetooth peer-to-peer
> >
> >Any others?
>
> I often use an SD card...

And while doing so, you of course plug the 3.5mm TRRS/TRS plug of
your wired earphones into your smartphone to listen to its FM radio.

Frank Slootweg wrote:

> 'Wireless sharing with your PC, made easy.'
> 'Send and receive photos, documents and more between nearby Android
> devices1 and Windows PCs.'
> <https://www.android.com/better-together/nearby-share-app/>

Nearby Share was already enabled on phone, but I was unaware of the
Window app, installed it, tried to send a file from Win->Android, it
just sits there "pulsing" various blue shapes while it tries to detect
the phone ...