Back in the mid 90s, downloading files from the Internet wasn’t performed through a web browser; you had to use an FTP client to access and download files. In some ways, modern methods of downloading files have regressed slightly, as FTP developers competed with each other to support the latest standards and downloading via FTP was more effective than using a browser. For instance, you could schedule downloads, queue your files, source from multiple locations and resume downloads if they failed.

Of course, an FTP client also enables you to administer a remote homepage, server or simply upload files to another computer. It’s an essential part of any Internet users’ toolkit and there are many different free and commercial FTP applications.

If you own a Mac, there are more FTP clients than most operating systems, from the superb commercial Transmit through to the free Cyberduck. Flow is a new FTP application with a wealth of features, including some Leopard-only features such as QuickLook and a well-designed user-interface.

However, it’s commercial, so you’ll need to weigh up the advantages compared to free FTP software.