anonymous ftp

anonymous ftp
    n 1: a common way to make software available; users are allowed
         to log in as `guest' without a password and copy whatever
         has been made available [syn: {anonymous ftp}, {anonymous
         file transfer protocol}]
    

anonymous FTP

   <networking> An interactive service provided by many
   {Internet} {hosts} allowing any user to transfer documents,
   files, programs, and other archived data using {File Transfer
   Protocol}.  The user logs in using the special {user name}
   "ftp" or "anonymous" and his {e-mail address} as {password}.
   He then has access to a special directory hierarchy containing
   the publically accessible files, typically in a subdirectory
   called "pub".  This is usually a separate area from files used
   by local users.

   A reference like

   	ftp: euagate.eua.ericsson.se /pub/eua/erlang/info

   means that files are available by anonymous FTP from the host
   called euagate.eua.ericsson.se in the directory (or file)
   /pub/eua/erlang/info.  Sometimes the {hostname} will be
   followed by an {Internet address} in parentheses.  The
   directory will usually be given as a path relative to the
   anonymous FTP login directory.  A reference to a file
   available by FTP may also be in the form of a {URL} starting
   "ftp:".

   See also {Archie}, {archive site}, {EFS}, {FTP by mail},
   {World-Wide Web}.

   (1995-11-26)