<article id="ftp">
<title>&FTP;</title>

<para>
&FTP; is the Internet service used to transfer a data file from the disk of 
one computer to the disk of another, regardless of the operating system type. 
</para>

<para> Similar to other Internet applications, &FTP; uses the
client-server approach &mdash; a user invokes an &FTP; program on the
computer, instructs it to contact a remote computer, and then requests
the transfer of one or more files. The local &FTP; program becomes a
client that uses <acronym>TCP</acronym> to contact an &FTP; server
program on the remote computer. Each time the user requests a file
transfer, the client and the server programs cooperate to send a copy
of the data across the Internet.  </para>

<para> &FTP; servers which allow <quote>anonymous &FTP;</quote> permit
any user, not only users with accounts on the host, to browse the
<quote>ftp</quote> archives and download files. Some &FTP; servers are
configured to allow users to upload files.  </para>

<para>
&FTP; is commonly used to retrieve information and obtain software stored in 
files at &FTP; archive sites throughout the world.
</para>


<para>
Source: Paraphrased from <ulink 
url="http://tlc.nlm.nih.gov/resources/tutorials/internetdistlrn/ftpdef.htm"> 
http://tlc.nlm.nih.gov/resources/tutorials/internetdistlrn/ftpdef.htm</ulink>
</para>

<para> See the manual: <ulink url="man:/ftp">ftp</ulink>.</para>

</article>
