Chapter 7: FTP (Mining the Net: Part 2)

     Hundreds of systems connected to Internet have file libraries, or
archives, accessible to the public. Much of this consists of free or
low-cost  shareware  programs for virtually every make of computer.  If
you want a different communications program for your IBM, or feel like
playing a new game on your Amiga, you'll be able to get it from the Net.
     But there are also libraries of documents as well.  If you want a
copy of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, you can find it on the Net.
Copies of historical documents, from the Magna Carta to the Declaration
of Independence are also yours for the asking, along with a translation
of a telegram from Lenin ordering the execution of rebellious peasants.
You can also find song lyrics, poems, even summaries of every "Lost in
Space" episode ever made.  You can also find extensive files detailing
everything you could ever possibly want to know about the Net itself.
First you'll see how to get these files; then we'll show you where
they're kept.

    What is FTP?                    
    ARCHIE                           finding the file you want.
    Using FTP                        getting and sending files
    Unix file extensions             file extentions and compression
    The keyboard cabal.              odd names and wierd directories
    When things go wrong            
      >>  FTP sites.                


FYI:

     Liberal use of archie will help you find specific files or
documents.  For information on new or interesting ftp sites, try the
comp.archives newsgroup on Usenet.  You can also look in the comp.misc,
comp.sources.wanted or news.answers newsgroups on Usenet for lists of ftp
sites posted every month by Tom Czarnik and Jon Granrose.
     The comp.archives newsgroup carries news of new ftp sites and
interesting new files on existing sites.
     In the comp.virus newsgroup on Usenet, look for postings that list
ftp sites carrying anti-viral software for Amiga, MS-DOS, Macintosh,
Atari and other computers.
     The comp.sys.ibm.pc.digest and comp.sys.mac.digest newsgroups
provide information about new MS-DOS and Macintosh programs as well as
answers to questions from users of those computers.