mirror of
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275 lines
9.7 KiB
Markdown
275 lines
9.7 KiB
Markdown
# Frequently Asked Questions
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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Help! I can't install the PWA!
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</summary>
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<br>
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Here is a good guide on how to install PWAs on different platforms: \
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https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/content/hearingloss/installPWA.html
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**Chromium-based browser on Desktop (Chrome, Edge, Vivaldi, Brave, etc.)** \
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Easily install PairDrop PWA on your desktop by clicking the install-button in the top-right corner while on [pairdrop.net](https://pairdrop.net).
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<img width="400" src="pwa-install.png" alt="Example on how to install a pwa with Edge">
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**Desktop Firefox** \
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On Firefox, PWAs are installable via [this browser extensions](https://addons.mozilla.org/de/firefox/addon/pwas-for-firefox/)
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**Android** \
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PWAs are installable only by using Google Chrome or Samsung Browser:
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1. Visit [pairdrop.net](https://pairdrop.net)
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2. Click _Install_ on the installation pop-up or use the three-dot-menu and click on _Add to Home screen_
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3. Click _Add_ on the pop-up
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**iOS** \
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PWAs are installable only by using Safari:
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1. Visit [pairdrop.net](https://pairdrop.net)
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2. Click on the share icon
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3. Click _Add to Home Screen_
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4. Click _Add_ in the top right corner
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<br>
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**Self-Hosted Instance?** \
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To be able to install the PWA from a self-hosted instance, the connection needs to be [established through HTTPS](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Progressive_web_apps/Installable_PWAs).
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See [this host your own section](https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/blob/master/docs/host-your-own.md#testing-pwa-related-features) for more info.
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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Shortcuts?
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</summary>
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<br>
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Available shortcuts:
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- Send a message with `CTRL + ENTER`
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- Close all "Send" and "Pair" dialogs by pressing `Esc`.
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- Copy a received message to the clipboard with `CTRL/⌘ + C`.
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- Accept file-transfer requests with `Enter` and decline with `Esc`.
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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How to save images directly to the gallery on iOS?
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</summary>
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<br>
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~~Apparently, iOS does not allow images shared from a website to be saved to the gallery directly.~~
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~~It simply does not offer that option for images shared from a website.~~
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~~iOS Shortcuts saves the day:~~ \
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I created a simple iOS shortcut that takes your photos and saves them to your gallery:
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https://routinehub.co/shortcut/13988/
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Update: \
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Apparently, this was only a bug that is fixed in recent iOS version (https://github.com/WebKit/WebKit/pull/13111). \
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If you use an older affected iOS version this might still be of use. \
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Luckily, you can now simply use `Save Image`/`Save X Images` 🎉
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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Is it possible to send files or text directly from the "Context" or "Share" menu?
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</summary>
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<br>
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Yes, it finally is.
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* [Send files directly from the "Context" menu on Windows](/docs/how-to.md#send-files-directly-from-context-menu-on-windows)
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* [Send directly from the "Share" menu on iOS](/docs/how-to.md#send-directly-from-share-menu-on-ios)
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* [Send directly from the "Share" menu on Android](/docs/how-to.md#send-directly-from-share-menu-on-android)
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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Is it possible to send files or text directly via CLI?
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</summary>
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<br>
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Yes.
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* [Send directly from a command-line interface](/docs/how-to.md#send-directly-via-command-line-interface)
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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Are there any third-party Apps?
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</summary>
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<br>
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These third-party apps are compatible with PairDrop:
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1. [Snapdrop Android App](https://github.com/fm-sys/snapdrop-android)
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2. [Snapdrop for Firefox (Addon)](https://github.com/ueen/SnapdropFirefoxAddon)
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3. Feel free to make one :)
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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What about the connection? Is it a P2P connection directly from device to device or is there any third-party-server?
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</summary>
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<br>
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It uses a WebRTC peer-to-peer connection.
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WebRTC needs a signaling server that is only used to establish a connection.
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The server is not involved in the file transfer.
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If the devices are on the same network,
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none of your files are ever sent to any server.
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If your devices are paired and behind a NAT,
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the PairDrop TURN Server is used to route your files and messages.
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See the [Technical Documentation](technical-documentation.md#encryption-webrtc-stun-and-turn)
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to learn more about STUN, TURN and WebRTC.
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If you host your own instance
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and want to support devices that do not support WebRTC,
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you can [start the PairDrop instance with an activated WebSocket fallback](https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/blob/master/docs/host-your-own.md#websocket-fallback-for-vpn).
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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What about privacy? Will files be saved on third-party servers?
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</summary>
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<br>
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Files are sent directly between peers.
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PairDrop doesn't even use a database.
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If curious, study [the signaling server](https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/blob/master/server/ws-server.js).
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WebRTC encrypts the files in transit.
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If the devices are on the same network,
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none of your files are ever sent to any server.
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If your devices are paired and behind a NAT,
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the PairDrop TURN Server is used to route your files and messages.
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See the [Technical Documentation](technical-documentation.md#encryption-webrtc-stun-and-turn)
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to learn more about STUN, TURN and WebRTC.
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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What about security? Are my files encrypted while sent between the computers?
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</summary>
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<br>
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Yes. Your files are sent using WebRTC, encrypting them in transit.
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Still you have to trust the PairDrop server. To ensure the connection is secure and there is no [MITM](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man-in-the-middle_attack) there is a plan to make PairDrop
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zero trust by encrypting the signaling and implementing a verification process. See [issue #180](https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/issues/180) to keep updated.
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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Transferring many files with paired devices takes too long
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</summary>
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<br>
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Naturally, if traffic needs to be routed through the TURN server
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because your devices are behind different NATs, transfer speed decreases.
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You can open a hotspot on one of your devices to bridge the connection,
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which omits the need of the TURN server.
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- [How to open a hotspot on Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-your-windows-pc-as-a-mobile-hotspot-c89b0fad-72d5-41e8-f7ea-406ad9036b85#WindowsVersion=Windows_11)
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- [How to open a hotspot on macOS](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/share-internet-connection-mac-network-users-mchlp1540/mac)
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- [Library to open a hotspot on Linux](https://github.com/lakinduakash/linux-wifi-hotspot)
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You can also use mobile hotspots on phones to do that.
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Then, all data should be sent directly between devices and not use your data plan.
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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Why don't you implement feature xyz?
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</summary>
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<br>
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Snapdrop and PairDrop are a study in radical simplicity.
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The user interface is insanely simple.
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Features are chosen very carefully because complexity grows quadratically
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since every feature potentially interferes with each other feature.
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We focus very narrowly on a single use case: instant file transfer.
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Not facilitating optimal edge-cases means better flow for average users.
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Don't be sad. We may decline your feature request for the sake of simplicity.
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Read *Insanely Simple: The Obsession that Drives Apple's Success*,
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and/or *Thinking, Fast and Slow* to learn more.
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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PairDrop is awesome. How can I support it?
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</summary>
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<br>
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* [Buy me a coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pairdrop) to pay for the domain and the server, and support libre software.
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* [File bugs, give feedback, submit suggestions](https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/pairdrop/issues)
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* Share PairDrop on social media.
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* Fix bugs and create a pull request.
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* Do some security analysis and make suggestions.
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* Participate in [active discussions](https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/discussions)
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<br>
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</details>
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<details>
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<summary style="font-size:1.25em;margin-top: 24px; margin-bottom: 16px; font-weight: var(--base-text-weight-semibold, 600); line-height: 1.25;">
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How does it work?
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</summary>
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<br>
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[See here for info about the technical implementation](/docs/technical-documentation.md)
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<br>
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</details>
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[< Back](/README.md)
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