Most are familiar with MS Explorer or Netscape. Common locations like Tucows, Strouds, Search, and many more, where we can find and download software. However, at certain times the web becomes busy and the process becomes slow. In addition, simply finding a file can take a very long time.

FTP sites, using programs like cuteFTP or WS-FTP, are as fast and often faster when the web slows down, and a much better way than email to send large files if one has an ftp site available.
** CuteFTP will resume broken downloads where possible.

The problem, if it is one, is that as you move away from the browsers, you will need to know a little more about the file you want as descriptions are minimal with FTP and other methods which follow.
As the net becomes flooded with information, it is becoming more critical to learn how to use some of the following tools, unless you prefer to spend hours and never find what you want.

Searching the Web Update !

File Retrieval Update !

Two typical Archie programs for win95 are fpArchie and WsArch32. fpArchie has an ftp program built in, so slightly preferable to me, although both are quite good.

Archie programs will permit searches on archie servers. In general pick one close - there are at least 2 in Canada, but you may get different results when you search on different ones.

With fpArchie you can click on the file you are looking for and it will be retrieved. Quite often the same file will be available from several sites. Again select the closest site to you for the quickest download. With WsArchie, you are dropped to your specified FTP program to download.

Experiment with either Archie program, and if you are impressed, read on.

The next phase does not require an Archie program. You simply send an email to the Archie server and have the results mailed back to you!

To learn how - simply email archie@archie.mcgill.ca, and in the body of your email just put the word "help" (no subject and no quotation marks). In return mail you will get a help file on how to use the Archie. (at Mcgill in this case)

If you want a list of all servers known to the McGill server, send another letter with the word "servers" instead of help.

NOTE: use "archie@" in front of the server address. It would also be wise to get the help file from any of the servers you wish to access, in case of differences.

Example Search:

** all files with snap32 within its name will be returned via email (not the file, just the locations) - refer to the help file on how to define searches.**

- could be a few minutes. If more than a day refer to the help file.

***From the returned list, you can then ftp to the site where your file is, and retrieve it.***

Instead of Archie servers, we will use an FTPMAIL server.

When you receive the results of your search, you can cut and paste the file info into another email and mail it to an FTPMAIL server.

NOTE: A file larger than 102K will typically be split, therefore you have to know how to join these split files when received. Expect at least a day or so for the file to arrive.

A program decoder.zip (15K) will uudecode the email - but, you must join all parts if more than one, with a text editor and remove all headers.

Test conditions using win95 and pegasus mail. File requested was snap32.exe (407K). The received email was 570K when joined and uuencoded.

1. Did not specify size and received a 6 part email .
2. Pegasus could not uudecode the attachment.
3. Joined all with a text editor, deleted headers, and used decoder.
4. Result failed - can only conclude that one or more of the parts were corrupt.
5. Repeated specifying 512K and compress.
6. Received 2 parts, joined, removed headers, used decoder.
7. Worked this time - removing headers was required.
8. Note: file was not compressed - compress may require a modifier.

NOTE: Email encoding typically increases file size by more than 40 per cent!

One server is ftpmail@doc.ic.ac.uk. Send an email to them with just "help" in the body, and you will receive a help file explaining the commands you can use. This is typical of most ftpmail servers. Some support 512K size, most limit size to 102K.

The following is an example file request from this server. ** you will receive a confirmation before you get the file - requires no action unless you wish to cancel the request.