Free CrossFTP handles basic FTP chores on any OS

Java Web Start apps intrigue me, and I'm still surprised how few I've come across to share - last month's look at MuCommander was the first. If you're interested in an FTP client or server, give CrossFTP a try.

Both apps download and run in a flash. All of the functions I need for most FTP chores are available in the free, basic version: upload, download, site/connection manager, rename, delete, CHMOD. CrossFTP also remembers your browsing history and supports favorites, which makes queueing bulk uploads a breeze.

The server works nicely, and can be set up with minimal fuss. It's extremely configurable and an easy way to quickly provide FTP access to any system's files.

As with MuCommander, memory usage is an issue: the client consumes about 40mb and the server another 70mb. That's substantially more than FileZilla ( 11mb / 5mb ).

The pro version provides additional functionality, like support for SSL and SFTP and the ability to move remote files instead of deleting and re-uploading.

While I'm not going to forsake FileZilla for this one, it's a nice app to bookmark just in case.

Tags: cross-platform, freeware, ftp, java