File Storage: The maximum file size too low & other problems
 

Hello,

I've been a user of Fastmail for many years, and I was very happy with the service until I had to start paying external services for storing my files in the cloud.

The file storage feature:

https://www.fastmail.com/help/files/usage.html

is good, but it has many problems that make it useless:

- The maximum file size limit is too low. I mean, is not even possible to store some videos recorded from a cellphone. I have 10Gb of storage, and sadly I can not use them because of that limit, it is very frustrating.

- As I premium user, I have 30Gb for storing email, but 10Gb for storing files. I know that Fastmail is not a "file storage" service, but I don't think that such ratio makes sense. A common user will never have 30Gb of email, and will probably have more than 10Gb of data (pictures, videos, documents).

- When downloading folders, the "Maximum Zip" file is reached pretty easy so making a backup is a pain in the ***. What about automatically splitting the zip file?


Best regards,
rsm

Given that Google Drive and Google Photos offer 15 GB each, the Fastmail's10 GB limit doesn't look particularly low.

Humm… Google Drive is 15Gb of Free Storage. For 2$/month people get 100gb. And in icloud its 50Gb for 1$/month. So knowing that I’m paying 6€/month with fastmail, yeah the limit is pretty low…

I mainly use an FTP client to upload files into my file storage space. I also use a WebDAV/File Explorer mingling. The file upload size limit you mentioned may be attached to FM's UI file manager. You also mentioned the total file storage space/size, and there's not really much I can say about that.

- Bruce

There’s your answer. FM is an email service. File storage is just an extra. For FM it is ‘cheaper’ to give out a plenty of email storage than file storage (overbooking). File storage in generally is filled up more quickly than email storage.

Yep.
Sometimes with just cat pictures and stuff. Here's some cool cats though - http://emdpics.somdcomputerguy.com/ :cool: Those pics are in FM's file storage in a photo gallery format BTW.

- Bruce

Some of these cats look much younger than they are today.

Cool! I never knew this page existed. Nice to see faces added to names I've seen for years on the forum. I'm tempted to add myself to it, but if I did so, even using a throw-away alias, as an FM user, you would have a "thread" that could potentially be pulled on to expose me from my carefully cultivated anonymity :cool::p:D

(btw, +1 to what Berenburger said)

I can already guess what you look like!

Fastmail's file storage was originally added to facilitate email, back when most services supported only very small attachments (some did not support attachments at all) and bandwidth usage was limited (one would purchase extra bandwidth when needed). I don't think it was ever intended to act as someone's main data storage. Features were added when they seemed useful.
Fastmail's storage has some useful functionality not found on services like Dropbox or drive. like being able to create small websites on the fly by mapping an arbitrary URL to any folder. Like anonymous upload in such a website. Like FTP and Webdav access. I have created a password protected website to allow myself to upload files for myself from places where I'd rather not use my login credentials for any general purpose service I use (like my email, my dropbox account etc.)
One thing I would like to see added id a way to synchronize specific file storage folders with specific dropbox folders. That would allow maintaining a small website on Fastmail using Dropbox, and they already have some integration with Dropbox, so why not add some functionality that would make the file storage facility more useful?
BTW, a few days ago I uploaded a 150MB file to the file storage (using Webdav). I had no problem uploading or downloading it, except tah it takes a long time. Dropbox has the advantage that it uploads/downloads in the background, and probably updates by transferring only the difference between old and new files and not replacing the whole file each time.

My cover is blown!! :D:D:D

Humm.. the strongest argument between Google (or other serivces) & Fastmail is privacy. And if we are required to have a Google account while paying Fastmail, I just don’t see the point.

As I said before, for me there are many small improvements that would make Fastmail much better for the end user, and the most critical point is the maximum file size on the file storage.

I ignore the Fastmail cloud & software infrastructure but I understand that if the file app is runned by the same firewalls, servers & config than the email app, then the limit is not that easy to change.

Anyways I insist that you should consider allowing much bigger file uploads.

Don't forget that Fastmail offers the Professional level account for 1.77 X the Standard price (on a 3-year plan). That will give you 50 GB of file storage, which is 5X the Standard plan. The email storage increases to 100 GB (3.33 X the Standard plan).


We are just users and don't work for Fastmail. Fastmail team leaders occasionally post here, but if you want to get their attention you should file a support request from the main Fastmail website.

Bill

You're not /required/ to have a Google account. You might choose to have one if you think that you'd rather use their free storage than someone-else's free storage, or someone-else's paid-for storage. It's a trade-off.

I don't place any of my files on Google's storage.


Insisting on anything is unlikely to work, especially if the people you insist to have no power to make changes.