There’s a new way to send large files containing movies, music and other items without worrying whether e-mail systems can handle large attachments.

Free software from Pando Networks Inc. automatically converts your attachments into a small file that your friend or relative can open to download the original file from Pando or elsewhere. Pando is offering plug-ins to work with most Web-based mail services.

Major e-mail providers generally limit the size of files you can send or receive to 10 megabytes. That’s fine for text and even small photos – but try sending an entire photo album, music or video, and you run against the caps quickly.

With Pando, files larger than a specified size are converted automatically. A copy of the file is sent to Pando’s servers, and only a small attachment gets sent to the recipient, who must have or obtain the free software from Pando.