The interface is instead more like WS-FTP and CuteFTP which use a side-by-side display for showing both the local site and the remote site at the same time. The major difference and one of its key distinctive competencies over WS-FTP and CuteFTP is that FTP Voyager's interface sports an Explorer-like feel. As a result, anyone who has used Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 before will feel right at home with FTP Voyager.
Many of Explorer's best features have found their way into the FTP Voyager interface, including multiple file display listings (icon, list, and details views), quick sorting on multiple keys (including name, size, type, and date of last modification), right-mouse context menus, quick drag and drop capabilities (including between FTP Voyager and Explorer), and property details for files.
The client also offers many critical file transfer features of its own. These include Folder Short Cuts, inclusive/exclusive file filtering capabilities, automatic conversion of file names on transfer, auto-resume capabilities, an Instant Stop feature, a Quick Connect tool, and quick searching capabilities. The Folder Short Cuts is one of FTP Voyager's most distinctive features. It allows you to create special folders that are easily accessible from the root directory even though the link may actually be a directory that is much deeper than the root directory itself.
FTP Voyager has benefited from massive improvements made over earlier releases and the results show in its meteoric rise up the FTP charts. The speed of the client has been greatly improved and is now more in line with the likes of CuteFTP, FTP Explorer, and WS-FTP. The client also now offers quick buttons that can connect to specific FTP sites automatically, launch the Windows Explorer for quick file transfers between the two clients, or automatically send a group of files upon connection. As of v6.0 FTP Voyager is available in German and Spanish versions as well as the standard English release.
The latest releases have also added a status/progress bar, special keyboard commands (including scrolling via the Page Up and Page Down keys), folder synchronization tools (great for maintaining web sites), dial-on-demand support, import capabilities (for CuteFTP, WS_FTP, Internet Neighborhood, Bullet Proof FTP, and Crystal FTP), remote file editing capabilities, firewall/proxy support, an online help documentation system, retry support (automatically reconnects after a file transfer timeout), Keep Alive technology, auto rename capabilities, extensive configuration options (including configurable toolbars), an impressive new site manager, and an improved list of common anonymous FTP sites.
Registration for FTP Voyager costs $37.95 which entitles you to technical support via e-mail as well as an entire year of free upgrades. In an extremely short period of time FTP Voyager has transformed itself from a mediocre client into one of the best -- if not the best -- FTP clients on the market. Thanks to its recent improvements, FTP Voyager has quickly climbed its way to the top of the category and now shares elite ground with the likes of CuteFTP and WS-FTP. With a rather inexpensive price tag and an ever-improving set of features, FTP Voyager is a solid FTP client that will likely appeal to beginning users, experts, and everyone in between.
Pros: Excellent feature-set, Windows Explorer-like interface, folder short cuts, synchronization tools, easy to use
Cons: Synchronization tools are rivaled by standalone sync clients like Internet Neighborhood and FTP OutBox
New: SOCKS4/5 proxy support, improved site list, Dial On Demand (DOD), navigation improvements, IBM MVS server support, new command-line options, enhanced synchronization tools; German & Spanish releases; Complete Release Notes
New in v6.0.0.4: Support for "Extended" directory listings when connecting to a FTP Serv-U server, support for SOCKS4A proxy servers, drag and drop remote files and folders, bug fixes; Release Notes
Upgrade Meter: 4
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Version Reviewed: 6.0.0.4
Date of Review: 8/2/98 |
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