Re: Our friend FTP, again

["Ryan Russell" <Ryan.Russell () sybase com>]

> >   2) Use HTTP for all file downloads
>
> HTTP is no good. A new control connection for every file you download

Not a control connection.. a connection.  FTP also opens a new
connection for every file transferred, and still has to have a control
connection.

> is authentication nightmare.

The problem with HTTP authentication is that it assumes it can use the
same name and password for each connection, and sends it
every time.  FTP does it once and individual file transfers are
unauthenticated, except possibly by IP address and port
number.

> HTTP lacks reliable OTP implementation,

That's because of the above... Lots of protocols have this problem, FTP
isn't one of them.  HTTP needs to add a OTP flag, and a short-lived cookie
needs to be set to authenticate after the first time.

> both client and server sides. HTTP causes problems when uploading files.

Mechanisms exists to upload files with HTTP, they're just not real well
fleshed-out, and we have to go thorugh the iterations of permissions
problems we have already done with FTP.

                              Ryan