Rated 3 out of 5 stars

by Edmund Laugasson on Feb. 1, 2022 · permalink

PLEASE allow to choose from settings, whether there will be added "/download" to end of URL or not. Currently there will be link like this: example.com/index.php/s/hash/download

Even there is a file, that can be viewed online via link example.com/index.php/s/hash, it has to be downloaded in order to view it. It is quite annoying to save all the time attachments, when in most cases people would like to just view and that's all.

This will cause all attachments are downloaded somewhere, where they probably should not be. E.g. people are reading sometimes email in foreign computer but they have to download in order to see the attachment. Do they delete that downloaded file? Possibly not. People may forgot also and it is very human-like behaviour. Some people are beginners and can't even find the place, where downloaded file were saved.

This forcible download is especially dangerous policy in GDPR era. Most people don't know, that they can remove the "/download" in the end of URL in order to view directly online. Why should users do manual work, if it can be done automatically. Why then offer such link in email, that cannot be clicked directly to view directly in web browser.

I understand, that some users may prefer forcible download and therefore that should be configurable, so users can decide themselves.

So - PLEASE do not force people to download the attachments! This would increase all our safety, when possibly sensitive files will not be downloaded forcibly.

Without "/download" in the end still the file can be downloaded, if decided so as Nextcloud is offering that option.

E.g. new version of Thunderbird is now offering even built-in PDF-viewer in order to avoid downloading attachments and PDF is very common file type. Most common files are viewable in browser and if not, download button is always there in Nextcloud.