computer science

WebDrive

WebDrive is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand WebDrive rather than just read about it. In short: WebDrive is a drive mapping utility that supports accessing remote file servers using open FTP, FTPS, SFTP, and WebDAV protocols, and proprietary or vendor-specific protocols. It can be run as a Windows service and supports automatic mounting on system startup.

Key takeaways

WebDrive belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect WebDrive to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of WebDrive from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

WebDrive is a drive mapping utility that supports accessing remote file servers using open FTP, FTPS, SFTP, and WebDAV protocols, and proprietary or vendor-specific protocols. It can be run as a Windows service and supports automatic mounting on system startup.

History and use Though associated with traditional FTP protocols, WebDrive has had a long history of being considered a unique type of FTP client because it made remote folders look like part of the native operating system's file manager rather than display a "two pane" view (a.k.a. an "orthodox file manager") used by most FTP clients. As of 2014, its publisher claimed over 5 million installations and it remains a popular utility on college campuses and similar organizations with "casual" file transfer needs. A Mac edition was introduced in September 2009 and mobile editions for the iOS and Android were introduced in November 2013 and March 2014 respectively. Through at least 2002 Novell rebranded an earlier version of WebDrive as NetDrive and also added iFolder transfer support to its rebranded edition.

See also Comparison of WebDAV software Comparison of file managers

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with WebDrive

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what WebDrive claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to WebDrive before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about WebDrive ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of WebDrive

In research: WebDrive appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses WebDrive in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: WebDrive is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1997 software, FTP clients, File managers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for WebDrive outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study WebDrive in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what WebDrive means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain WebDrive out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is WebDrive in simple terms?

Why does WebDrive matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study WebDrive?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on WebDrive.