Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!bionet!ames!ames.arc.nasa.gov!gahooten
From: gahooten@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: What does "FTP" mean?
Message-ID: <23628@ames.arc.nasa.gov>
Date: 7 Apr 89 14:53:51 GMT
References: <1091@atux01.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Organization: NASA - Ames Research Center
Lines: 17

In article <1091@atux01.UUCP> jlc@atux01.UUCP (J. Collymore) writes:
>Could someone please define and explain the functionality of the term "FTP,"
>						Jim Collymore

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol.  It is essentially a
program that takes an internet address (like 128.6.40.0) to
call another machine on the net.  The protocol I know little
about, but all the commands can be seen by typing ? at the FTP
prompt.  

It is a back door into many systems.  You can log into many
systems by using Anonymous FTP (user name is "Anonymous") and
then give  your real name as your password.  This allows
limited access to a system which you would normally never have
access to.  Note that this access is limited by the FTP
commands themselves.  You cannot run many processes while
within FTP.