What Download is
To transfer a file or files from one computer to another, for example, from a server to your desktop computer. Download is the opposite of upload. There are a few methods of downloading on the Internet: HTTP, FTP and e-mail attachments are the most common. When you "load" a Web page into your browser, you are essentially "downloading" the page from the server it is hosted on. One of the most resourceful functions of the Internet is that you can download almost any type of computer file or program. Many of these files are shareware, which means you can try them before you buy them. Want to try downloading something?
The meaning of FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
The standard method for downloading and uploading files over the Internet. With FTP, you can login to a server and transfer files (meaning you can "send" or "receive" files). Some sites have public file archives that you can access by using FTP with the account name "anonymous" and your e-mail address as the password. This type of access is called anonymous FTP. Macintosh owners use a program called Fetch; one of the best FTP programs for Windows is called WS-FTP. Knowing FTP is necessary (and easy) if you want to create your own Web site.
Note: You may also hear this noun used as a verb. For example, "I just finished FTP'ing the last of the files." Or, "I FTP'ed the new images to the site last night."
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