8) What is an URL? Are "ftp://", "http://", and "gopher://" typos?

[Last modified: Oct 94]

Answer:  No, they are not typos.  All location references in this FAQ are
slowly being replaced with WWW (World Wide Web) URLs (Uniform Resource
Locator). Basically, an URL is a unique location of a Web resource (directory,
file, image, host, etc.). If you want to read more about URLs, see:

        http://www.boutell.com/faq/url.htm

If you don't know how to access the Web, you can still access locations via
anonymous ftp by dropping the "ftp://" protocol portion and interpreting the
next section as the domain name. For example, for an URL of

        ftp://any.old.place/dirname/filename

connect via anonymous ftp to any.old.place and get /dirname/filename.

Similarly, if the location begins "gopher://", drop the protocol portion,
telnet to the host and login as "gopher".

If the location in this FAQ begins with "http://" and you aren't a Web user,
simply ignore the reference. Or, you could check out the WWW FAQ (2 or more
parts) from rtfm.mit.edu directory:

         /pub/usenet/news.answers/www/faq

(URL: ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/www/faq )

Why are URLs being used? For those who regularly access the Web (via browsers
such as Mosaic, WinWeb, Chimera, Lynx, W3, tkWWW, etc.), this notation greatly
facilitates access to the cited documents/directories/files. And, for this FAQ
maintainer, URLs make it easier to verify whether the pointer is still
accurate! Instead of typing:

        ftp any.old.place
        logging in as anonymous
        entering my email address
        cd /dirname
        get filename

I can simply use the "Open URL" feature of my browser and paste
"ftp://any.old.place/dirname/filename" in one step. 'Nuff said!