Many people do not realise that you can use Windows to maintain the files in your web site directly, without using a special dedicated FTP program. Windows XP has a network manager called 'Network Places' you can use to transfer files just by dragging them from one window to another.

Using this method, you can use the sorting and display features you are familiar with in Windows, and avoid the cramped display and bizarre quirks many ftp programs suffer from.

If you want to try to use this method because it is more convenient, because you don't like using FTP, or if you are setting up a system that another Windows user or a child can understand instantly, then do this.

From the Start menu in Windows, select My Network Places. (Or, you can select My Computer and click on the My Network Places link.)

Select 'Add a network place'.

A wizard dialog window will pop up. Following the wizard, you will 'Choose another network location'.

You then have to enter the ftp address of your site. This will be something like ftp://www.mygreatsite.com.

You will need to deselect the Log on anonymously check box, as you want to log on with your user name.

Enter your user name, as given to you my your hosting provider.

You will be prompted to enter a name that will be used to identify your site, or accept the default name.

Check the box to open the new network place when you finish. (You can just go back to My Netwok Places later whenever you want to work on your web site files).

You will be prompted to enter your password for your hosting account.

After that, you will be logged on to your host's server, and you will see your remote files, just as you see the files on your hard disk, in a normal window. (You may have to click on a folder called www, or public_html to see them.)

You can then work on your files, drag new files to the server, and so on.

If you prefer to work on files in this familiar way, you have seen that it is the work of a couple of minutes to set up any network place you need.

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