What is FTP (File Transfer Protocol)?
File Transfer Protocol allows you to exchange large documents with other
users. Commonly, it is used to retrieve files from online archives of
accumulated software and data. Archie
software lets you search FTP archives for files using pattern matching.
- Metaphor: Document archiving or exchange
- Form: Fixed Document
- Medium: Simple Text, Encoded Text, or Binary File
- Distribution: Private, Group, or Public
- Administration: Moderated
- Similar Tools: Kermit, FSP
- Dependent Tools: Archie, Gopher, World Wide Web
Software
- UNIX: ftp
- Macintosh: Fetch, NCSA Telnet
Example
This is a screen image of the Fetch program for the Macintosh:
Other Notes
Most documents are stored in compressed form or translated to text to
facilitate transfer and storage. Common UNIX formats are Zip (*.zip),
Compress (*.Z), Tar (*.tar), and UUEncoded (*.uu). Common Macintosh
formats include Stuffit (*.sit), Compactor (*.cpt), Self-Extracting
(*.sea), MacBinary (*.bin), and BinHex (*.hqx). Special software is
usually required to extract the original files, but such software is
usually freely available at most sites.
Getting More Information
Here are some places to look for more information on using FTP: