Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!ibmchs!auschs!awdprime!heyman.austin.ibm.com!jerry
From: jerry@heyman.austin.ibm.com (Jerrold Heyman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: FTP
Summary: What is ftp
Keywords: FTP, Amiga
Message-ID: <3585@awdprime.UUCP>
Date: 19 Sep 90 21:45:26 GMT
References: <02532.AA02532@lemsys.UUCP>
Sender: news@awdprime.UUCP
Organization: IBM AWD, Austin
Lines: 61

In article <02532.AA02532@lemsys.UUCP> clemon@lemsys.UUCP (Craig Lemon) writes:
>I'd finally ask it....What is FTP.

ftp is an application written on top of TCP/IP.  It stands for File Transfer
Program, and is used as its name implies - to transfer files.  Files can be
transferred in either direction, and it handles wild-carding with '*' if you
use the 'mget' or 'mput' commands.

>        o How do I FTP?

This has already been discussed in a previous posting.  Basically you sit down
at your terminal and type 'ftp'.  If you get the ftp> prompt you've started,
if not check with your administrator as to what you need to add to your PATH
to access ftp.

>        o What software do I need?

ftp is part of the user applications that run with TCP/IP.  It will not exist
without TCP/IP, so you will definitely need to have TCP/IP to execute it.

>        o Do I need a special "connection" (ie. phone, data type etc)

To get to the various machines that are mentioned in this newsgroup, you will
need access to the Internet (but if you're posting here you probably have that)

>        o Is it free?

Depends on how your account is charged.  For the most part it is, but depending
on the accounting practices of the machine where you have access, you may be
charged for it somehow.

>        o Is it a local call? (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)

Again, this depends on whether or not the machine where your account is local
or not.  You don't call into ftp, you log into a machine that has an Internet
connection.

>        o How do the files arrive at your machine?

The files arrive either as binary or ascii (depending on what mode you chose)
and then you have to download them to your Amiga (unless your Amiga is the one
thats connected to the Internet).  In my particular case, I get the files to
my account and then use Xmodem to send them down the phoneline to my Amiga.

>        o Will my home machine be able to FTP?

Yes and no.  The software is available for the Amiga (forget who sells it),
but to get to the various mentioned machines, you'll have to have your Amiga
somehow connected to the Internet.  The connection to the Internet costs
money.

>--
> Craig Lemon - Kitchener, Ontario. Amiga B2000/10--2400 bps--AmigaUUCP 1.03D
> lemsys!clemon@xenitec.on.ca  or  ....!{uunet}!watmath!xenitec!lemsys!clemon

jerry
-- 
Jerry Heyman                     IBM T-R: jerry@heyman.austin.ibm.com
AWD Tools Development            VNET   : HEYMAN at AUSVMQ
AWD Austin                       T/L    : 793-3962
*** All opinions expressed are exactly that - my opinions and NOT IBM's