WS-FTP -- While many Gopher apps and most World Wide Web browsers offer integrated File Transfer Protocol capabilities, none of these clients matches the number of features and configurability options of John Junod's WS-FTP. FTP remains one of the most widely used internet protocols, and WS-FTP makes this oft-used tool quick and painless. Available in both restricted freeware and commercialware versions, WS-FTP offers a price and feature combination that will appeal to most users.

Configurability options in both versions include several alternative screen layouts, the ability to associate remote files with local programs, automatic logging, extension conversion on transfer, delete all, force lower case on transfer, and quick screen sizing. WS-FTP also comes pre-configured with an extensive array of ftp sites to check out. Multiple copies of the program can be launched to download multiple files at the same time. The program itself comes in two varieties -- a 16-bit release for Windows 3.x and a 32-bit release for Windows 95/NT.

The restricted freeware version of WS-FTP (known as WS-FTP Limited Edition) is free to all educational users as well as non-profit and non-commercial end-users. However, the Limited Edition release does lack several features found in the commercial 'Pro' package ($37.50). Perhaps the most important of these are the Windows Explorer FTP shell extension and full drag 'n' drop functionality. The shell extension allows you to connect to FTP sites and upload/download files using the Windows Explorer, and the drag 'n' drop functionality makes the tedious process of uploading and downloading files much more efficient.

Additional features in the Pro version include auto-reget, or automatic resume, for transferring a file after an abnormal termination, a network utilities package (including ping, traceroute, finger, whois, and NSLookup clients), versions for additional platforms (notably PowerPC and DEC Alpha), multifile transfers, and more. The Pro package also bundles a printed manual and technical support. Overall, both the Limited Edition and Pro versions of WS-FTP lack the ease of use and some of the powerful features found in CuteFTP (especially remote file listings), but the Pro version has narrowed the gap considerably and could pose a threat to CuteFTP's reign in the near future.

Pros: Easy to configure and use, feature rich, Windows Explorer FTP shell extension (Pro only), free LE version
Cons: Lacks some of the more advanced features found in its closest competitor, CuteFTP
New: Windows Explorer FTP shell extension, multiple file rename, full drag 'n' drop, new sort buttons, more

Version Reviewed: Pro - 5.0 Build 98.04.09. LE - 4.6 Build 98.03.17 Date of Review: 4/13/98

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