What is FTP?

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. FTP client software allows you to transfer files between your hard drive and a remote server. For instance, you could put your personal home page up on the Web by transferring files from your hard drive to a Web server, or you can download programs from your favorite shareware site — fast.

Ever wonder what "http" stands for in all of the Web sites you access with your Web browser? Hypertext Transfer Protocol is how your browser transfers files from remote web servers to graphically display web content on your monitor. Although HTTP does a good job of downloading HTML files and the small bitmaps displayed within them, it was never designed to transfer large files. However, with FTP, you can download large files and resume transfer after interruptions, where you left off, saving time (read that "money") and aggravation (priceless).

FTP users find transferring files via e-mail attachments grossly inefficient or impractical when dealing with large documents. For uploading such files, FTP is the only open standard answer (e.g., for efficiently posting new HTML pages onto a Web site or sharing graphics-laden files).

Today, growing numbers of power users, telecommuters, and corporate Internet managers are unleashing the protocol's potential by using FTP clients — file transfer software applications designed for users — to minimize time spent online. In fact, for anyone that even touches the Internet, "FTP client" should be spoken in the same breath as "e-mail" and "browser" when describing efficient desktop needs. You need all three.