At best, the maximum file size attachment for email is 30MB and at worst 5MB. Yes, believe it or not, there are still little mom-and-pop ISPs that do not allow over 5MB file attachments in email. But even if you and the people you routinely send mail to can accept 30MB file attachments, should you? The answer depends on what you’re trying to send.
This quick guide of file types explains what types of files are better in email as attachments or as a link to a third-party host elsewhere.
Documents
Attach or Link? Answer: Attach.
When you have a document you need to send to someone in email, attaching the file directly to the mail is still the best course of action; this is because document hosting services (Google Docs, Skydrive, etc.) will typically screw up any document that isn’t ridiculously simple.
What we have for online document editing and collaboration is great and all that, but it still doesn’t beat Microsoft Office or LibreOffice by a long shot. In fact, it doesn’t even come close.
Audio Files
Attach or Link? Answer: Link.
There’s no need to send sound files in email when you can easily host them on a third-party service for free like SoundCloud, or just host the audio file directly on Skydrive.
On SoundCloud in particular, yes there are privacy options and yes, you can set up a download link if the person you send the link to wants to download the audio file.
Photos
Attach or Link? Answer: Depends on volume.
Five big photos can easily be received in email, but if you’re sending a large amount, such as 30, you’re better off hosting that elsewhere and sending a link. Minus for example makes photo sharing ridiculously simple. Get a free account (which permits you 10GB of space by the way), upload your photos as a set, then send the set as a link. Everything will auto-organize, auto-thumbnail, and it’s easy to use.
Video
Attach or Link? Answer: Link.
Videos are probably the largest files you deal with, and in addition there are some people who have legitimate problems playing them due to media player issues (i.e. they don’t have the proper codec, etc.) Always host your video on a third-party site and send a link. The video is guaranteed to work, and for those with bandwidth issues, video hosting sites like YouTube and Blip.tv have "low bandwidth" options. It should also be noted that Minus can also host video.
Exception to the rule: Some smartphones.
All smartphones to the best of my knowledge can record video, but there’s a large amount of them that can’t push the video file to a third party then send a link afterward. If you’re in the situation where your phone is like that, attach the video file as you always have. But if the phone does have ability to publish the file to a video service like YouTube, it would be in your best interest to learn how to do it (if for nothing else than to keep a catalog of all your video without running out of storage space on your phone).
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