Desktop Environments and File Uploads

I remember when I used to see web applications with forms that had up to ten file fields, you know, in case you wanted to be more productive and submit many files in the same post. I smile when I think about those forms, not just because they looked funny, what with the repeating vertically-stacked file inputs, but also because of the whole file upload concept. Beyond sharing images on social networks, the practical use of user-generated files on the web has it's limitations. Think about where most of our tools are located. We're generally not screaming for new desktop applications, unless we're part of a particular crowd — like developers, graphic designers, hardcore gamers. We need desktop applications for these purposes, and these applications deal with files. But the vast majority of internet use isn't to this degree of specialization. What use does the general internet population have for file?