Introduction As the use of computers is increasing, understanding networks and how they interact with computers becomes a necessity for its end users. One of the elements that allows computers and networks to interact is protocol. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a protocol is essentially a set of rules that define how computers communicate with other computers on a network (Merriam-Webster). There are many protocols currently available (e.g., HyperText Transfer Protocol, Internet Protocol), but one of the most useful protocols for users wanting to share files with each other might just be File Transfer Protocol, or FTP. This article is designed to explain the history of FTP, its purpose, how it is used, and why it is useful to this user group. The History of FTPFTP was first developed in the early 1970s to indirectly access computers on a network. (TCP/IP Guide). Accessing a computer indirectly over a network means acquiring files or data from a remotely hosted computer and placing them on a local file system, or placing files from a locally hosted file system on a remotely hosted computer. The initial version of FTP was first published in Request for Comments (RFC), a series of memos designed to explain methods or research applicable to computer networking (Wikipedia). Although this protocol has undergone some revisions over the decades since its initial development, its primary purpose remains the same. How FTP Works There are four main components to make FTP work: the FTP client, the FTP server, the control connection, and a data connection between the two (DeskShare). This way, operating systems and file system types do not need to be...... middle of paper ......ks Quoted: About. "How to configure Dreamweaver to transfer files." Accessed June 17, 2011. http://webdesign.about.com/od/dreamweaverhowtos/ig/Set-Up-FTP-in-Dreamweaver/.DeskShare. “Understand how FTP works”. Accessed June 17, 2011. http://www.deskshare.com/Resources/articles/ftp-how-to.aspx.Merriam-Webster Dictionary. "Protocol." Accessed June 17, 2011. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/protocol.Open-Site. “Request for Comment (RFC) 114 A File Transfer Protocol.” Last updated October 1, 2007. http://open-site.org/Computers/Internet/Technology/Specifications/Request_For_Comments/RFC_114.The TCP/IP Guide. “FTP overview, history and standards. » Last updated September 20, 2005. http://www.tcpipguide.com/free/t_FTPOrviewHistoryandStandards.htm.Wikipedia. “Request for comments”. Last updated May 1, 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Request_for_Comments.