jlc@atux01.UUCP (J. Collymore) (08/07/89)
ince I have received a few requests concerning one of my earlier posted queries on what "ftp" is, I thought I would post the replies. Here is a collection of SOME of the responses I have received on FTP (file transfer proptocol). I hope you find it useful. Jim Collymore =============================================================================== In article <1091@atux01.UUCP> you write: >Could someone please define and explain the functionality of the term "FTP," >please? FTP = File Transfer Protocol. For details, type "man ftp" on your Unix system. In summary, it supports file transfer between systems connected over the internet (or more locally). --------- This term haunted me for a while also, especially when you see all of these postings saying "thus and such binary is available on sumex using annonymous ftp...", and you say to yourself, "boy, that binary would be nice to have on my own machine...". Let me briefly explain a few things: Communications can be performed through a variety of electronic medium, serial lines, modem, ethernet; using a variety of protocols (agreements on how to communicate between two machines): x.25, uucp, kermit, Xmodem, TCP/IP. The job of two communications applications programs is to transfer data using the agreed-upon protocol across the agreed-upon physical medium. FTP stands for "File Transfer Protocol" which uses Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol or "TCP/IP". For a variety of reasons (many of which are have nothing to do with the technical aspects of the protocol) this protocol has become a standard by default because so many people use it. This is especially true because the Berkeley implementation of UNIX (BSD) along with Sun Microsystems have led the way by supporting UNIX environments in which these protocols are easily used and applications using these protocols are easily written. Probably the real question you have behind the question you asked is "Can I use "ftp" to copy binaries in from remote sites like sumex?" I can't tell by looking at your address, but if you're not on the Internet (most of these sites are either major universities or large corporations, mine is not among them, however) the answer is probably no. The reason is because "ftp" uses "tcp/ip" which requires VERY high rates of transmission in order to perform efficiently. 9600 baud is only marginally adequete for the job. There is a program called SLIP, however, which does perform S)erial L)ine (TCP)/IP but we do not have it but are currently trying to get a copy. This is just a couple of things off the top of my head. I'm pretty dissappointed about our own lack of "ftp" capability, so if you're in the same boat I can empathize. Hope this helps. ---- ftp -> "file transfer program." A user-friendly program to let a user transfer files from one computer to another. Many machines have "open" archives, which are accessible through anonymous ftp (login anonymous, password guest). Almost all ftp-accessible machines are on the Internet, a high-speed data network connecting a bunch of computers (mostly UNIX machines, although there are a few VMS systems). ------