Originally Posted by
x213a
Does anybody know of a simple way to enable file transfer between an Ubuntu Jaunty desktop and a laptop running Jaunty?
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I have installed something called ssh also, although I'm unsure what it is for exactly. I know about Samba but with my limited knowledge of Linux it's way over my head at the moment.
You're on the right track with SSH, which is short for Secure Shell. At its most basic, it lets you open up a Shell (command line) on one machine from another, even across the Internet. I've sat here in Dublin and ran commands on a server in Bangalore. It's available for Windows, Mac OS and others too. Then, to answer your question, you can do file copies over SSH using SCP (Secure Copy). You need to know a bit of
odd shell syntax, or use the Ubuntu "Connect To Server" method, which opens up a file window on the other system.
There's also FTP (File Transfer Protocol) , which works in a similar client/server fashion, and might be a little easier to use, though less secure. There are more far FTP programs than SCP e.g. GFTP under Gnome, or the same "Connect To Server" method as above on Ubuntu. I wouldn't worry about Samba unless you want your Linux box to look like a Windows box to other Windows systems. (I don't use it much because, well, file transfer is all it can do.)
I prefer the SSH/SCP method, and I use it at home, synchronising data between two systems (Linux & Windows) with the
Unison program. I run a script to sync my "Documents" directories on the two systems, then shut the Windows system down after that's finished.
The first step is to get OpenSSH up and running: install Server on the "target" machine, and Client on the others. Test it from the client by saying
ssh <server>. This basic command assumes that the user name is the same on both systems - which I would definitely recommend. If not, you need to add a logon option such as
ssh -l <user> <server>.
Then try some SCP commands as described (or secpanel). You'll be asked for a password every time, which soon gets annoying, so if you're going to do a lot of copies, you might want to look in to
setting up RSA Keys. When that's done, login is automatic, no passwords required.
PS: I think the lack of "easy file copy" reflects the security-conscious nature of UNIX systems in general. When you allow other machines to connect to your system, you're creating a potential security opening, and in the UNIX world you expect there to be an administrator of the system who is aware of what's happening, and why. You can set up e.g. Samba to emulate a Windows server, so it's easy for end users, but it doesn't just happen!
