This is a location on their file server which is open to the public. If the FTP client is on the UNIX server, the researcher needs to understand the UNIX commands. If the researcher is using one of the many Archie clients around the world, the files will be organized according to the search hierarchy selected. Web browsers provide quick FTP entry to anonymous ftp sites. However, the display will be text oriented and actually appears to have the same structure as a Gopher or UNIX command line output.
Browsers only allow the user to transfer a file through a mouse click on the file link.
To transfer multiple files with a single command, the researcher needs to have a dedicated FTP client running in DOS, Windows or Mac. Discuss this with your network system administrator. FTP uses a great deal of the resources of your site and the host site. Plan file transfers for early in the day or late in the evening. Also, check every file downloaded for potential viruses .