Best web-based software for distributing images (and other data)?

[Cute James]

Hello chaps,

One of my responsibilities at the company I work for involves cataloguing and distributing product images (and other data) to subsidiaries and dealers overseas. I typically use a subsidiary company's FTP server (based in Germany) to upload and store this data, however access is restricted with a username/password, meaning that only those within the company can access the data.

For smaller dealers (i.e. those that do not have access to the FTP), I distribute data via DropBox, however as great as this service is, it's not really an ideal solution when wishing to distribute gigabytes of data.

In the past (3-4 years ago) I looked into setting-up a server running the 'Gallery' software, and found it to be more or less ideal for my company's needs:

- user accounts

- support for a wide range of data formats (TIFF, PSD, PDF, EPS), with thumbnails/previews

- ability to package multiple files into a zip archive

- intuitive interface

I do seem to recall having difficulty simply 'copying' new images into the database from a local/network source - our files are often high resolution TIFFs and PSDs, 60mb+ in size, so uploading single images via a web interface is something I'd hope to avoid.

I had a test Gallery installation running on my machine, but was unable to convince my superiors to invest in a dedicated (24/7) file storage server. This may change in the near future, however, so I'm looking to once again setup a local test installation as a 'proof of concept' demo.

Is Gallery still the best package for this task, or are there other solutions that I should consider?

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Cheers,

James

x

EDIT: I should add that I'm not overly concerned about the visual appearance of the software. I understand that configuration and themes is an important part of 'Gallery', however for our use, a clear, intuitive interface is all that's required.

[Cute James]

Any takers?