FTP (File Transfer Protocol) has been around pretty much as long as HTTP as one of several internet services. But lately it has become a common part of the creative individual’s software arsenal. It allows you to transfer files larger than can be easily attached to an email. Many printers and clients now offer FTP sites where files can be posted and downloaded. There are many FTP applications available for the Mac, each with its own take on features and interface. I have settled on the one developed by Panic software (how can you not love that name?). It’s called Transmit. High points all around for the web site and program design, the look, feel, icons and more. And if they care that much about those details, the software must be equally great. And it is. In a light-hearted approach to computing, the main dialog opens to reveal two windows, “Your Stuff” and “Their Stuff.”
You can enter the connection information and save it as a Favorite. The Favorite can save the password and local default directory. So if you always upload from a certain folder while connected to a specific client, you can automatically open that folder when you connect. You can organize Favorites into Folders. You can drag and drop file from the program or from the Desktop to transfer. You can link files to specific editors and edit files remotely without maintaining a local copy. You can Synchronize files between Your Stuff and Their Stuff. Compatible with iWeb, Automator, Dashboard, iDisk, Spotlight, geez these guys are well-connected. These along with all the standard FTP features available in most FTP apps certainly makes this a great choice. And again, the same thoughtfulness in designing an easy-to-use but powerful interface in the Macintosh tradition is why I give Transmit the nod. $29.95 from Panic. And check out their other apps, too!