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Update: I thought the 'Great Firewall' was just a meme until I tried to send a file to a friend in Shanghai.

My buddy needed a wiring diagram for a project, and my usual cloud link just timed out. I had to dig up an old FTP server I used back in 2008 to get it through. It really hit me how a simple tech block can cut off a basic conversation. Has anyone else had to use a workaround that felt like it was from another time?
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campbell.evan
campbell.evan23d agoMost Upvoted
Actually, the Great Firewall is a real technical system, not just a meme. It's a huge set of filters and blocks that run on the country's internet. Your cloud link timing out is a classic symptom. Using an old FTP server is a clever fix, but it's wild how common these workarounds have become. It forces people to get creative just to share basic info. The real kicker is how normal it feels once you're used to jumping through those hoops.
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taylor.jordan
Yeah, my friend had a similar thing happen with a video file. He ended up mailing a USB drive, like physically mailing it, because nothing digital would go through. It's exactly what @campbell.evan said about getting used to the hoops, but this felt like going back to the stone age. Took two weeks for that stick to arrive.
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the_ruby
the_ruby5h agoOG Member
Totally get that, I once had to burn a DVD to send a file lol.
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