Cool Feature of the Day: Windows Live Messenger Sharing Folders

Imagine yourself opening up a Messenger chat with someone who just bought a new house. "I'm so excited," they say, "that I took 30 pictures and want you to check them out." One by one, they drag a picture into the window. You click Accept. They drag another picture, you click Accept. Sometimes they drag three at a time and you inevitably miss one.

Man, I wish there was a better way to transfer files!

Well, if you're lazy like me don't really explore products like Windows Live Messenger, then you've missed the Sharing Folders feature.

Sharing folders works like this.

In a given IM conversation, you click the Sharing Folders button to initiate a request to share files with the recipient. Once they accept, you get a window called Sharing Folders. You can drag and drop new files into this window, singly or in groups, and it will automatically synchronize the folder with the other party.

The best part is!!! Both you and the recipient can update this shared folder with new files, and it does so in a non-intrusive manner. No asking for permission for individual files, no constant spam. However you do get a notice when someone updates the sharing folder - but only one notice per batch of files - which I see as a good thing.

Sharing folders are separate for each contact, and you can access the files individually in your My Sharing Folders folder in My Documents.

Hope you enjoy the tip.