A Brief Introduction to FTP - Using FTP Client Programs
(Page 4 of 4 )
There are literally tons of FTP client programs available. A search on Google with those three key words yields more than 43,000,000 hits. Some well-known FTP programs include Cute FTP, SmartFTP, and WinSCP. These programs usually provide an intuitive graphical user interface, and many of them are free. Some even provide video tutorials and screen shots!
If you use Dreamweaver to design your site, you'll be pleased to know that the program already has FTP capability. Check your documentation; you may be able to take advantage of this, and save yourself some work. The capability will need to be configured before you can use it.
Whatever program you use, you go through the same basic steps: establish a connection with your FTP site, then upload or download the appropriate files. It's hard to be more specific without talking about specific programs (and excluding others). SmartFTP's site gives a fairly good explanation of how its program works, complete with video tutorials. There are versions of this program that are free, and others that carry a price tag; aside from the price, the biggest difference between the two is that the free version does not come with maintenance and support. SmartFTP is only available for various versions of Windows.
The company that sells Cute FTP offers a free 30-day trial period. The software comes in Home and Professional versions (with the Professional version priced higher but offering many more features). Unlike SmartFTP, Cute FTP comes in both Windows and Mac versions.
WinSCP is not only free, it is open source software. It offers an easy-to-understand GUI. In fact, we use it here at Developer Shed.
You may not have needed to use FTP software before, but once you start using it, you'll see how easily it can help you maintain your web site. I hope I've encouraged you to explore your options.
| DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this article is not warranted or guaranteed by Developer Shed, Inc. The content provided is intended for entertainment and/or educational purposes in order to introduce to the reader key ideas, concepts, and/or product reviews. As such it is incumbent upon the reader to employ real-world tactics for security and implementation of best practices. We are not liable for any negative consequences that may result from implementing any information covered in our articles or tutorials. If this is a hardware review, it is not recommended to open and/or modify your hardware. |
