Re: Rant (Was Re: Our friend FTP, again)

[David LeBlanc <dleblanc () mindspring com>]

At 05:02 PM 4/15/99 -0700, Ryan Russell wrote:

> Perphaps we need some real APIs for IP at layers 5 and
> 6 to implement this stuff.

> Again, this is a bit idealistic... I question whether IPv6 will
> ever be implemented outside of things like the 6bone.

Possibly.  I also think that IPSec will solve a lot of problems once it is
widespread.  It doesn't require IPv6, and once every protocol doesn't have
to roll its own privacy and integrity mechanisms, that will take us a long
way.  IPSec is going to be shipping in most major OS's RSN - we'll see if
people actually use it...

> Back to reality.. and the FTP question.  I think this one is actually
> (conceptually) do-able.  To kill FTP:

> Get three web-server groups (IIS, Netscape, Apache) and
> the W3C to add in HTTP 1.2 the upload piece.. go ahead
> and throw in all the FTP server options.  Make a command
> line http program for Windows and *nix.  Make an http
> transfer program for the Mac that isn't a web browser.
> Screw the other 10% that's left.  Upload could be
> done in web browsers, too, but it's not absolutely
> neccessary.

Actually, I think that FTP is going to die a natural death.  Most users
access FTP through their browser these days.  HTTP is capable of doing most
of what we use FTP for to begin with - all you have to do is allow
directory browsing, then build some clients that will make it look and act
like a file system to the user.

You've got the right approach - build the functionality into other things,
then get people started using it.  As an example, you don't see much of
archie any more - been replaced by lots of other search engines.


David LeBlanc
dleblanc () mindspring com