What Do You Do?

[eric_darling]

I'm sure many developers are more experienced than I am when it comes to corporate firewalls and security in general.

How do you deal with corporate clients who need to patch their software but aren't allowed to download files with .exe or .zip file extensions? Do we negotiate with their IT department to make provisions for a specific URL, or is there some other way that I'm overlooking?

[Worm]

What about having the file on your site with a different file extension (one that's allowed)? Once downloaded, change its name back to exe, then fire the update.

Just a thought...

Edit:
Note to self : Pay attention to which forum you are posting in

[eric_darling]

Actually, I thought about that, too, Worm. The only problem with that is: how do I know what is and isn't allowed? Furthermore, how do I employ a good choice that won't automatically launch some other program installed on their computer set up to handle that file extension? It gets muddy down that road, I think. Not to mention, the fact that most people to whom we're distributing this update are not particularly savvy computer users. Some are downright ignoramuses. The solution has to be as painless for the end user as possible.

[Derek]

That's the first thing that came to my mind too. I'm sure if you choose something way out it would be fine.
You could even go with something sensible like .patch or .update
Who says a file has to be 8.3 [Gates]?