When software works well it becomes invisible, and you can forget that you are using technology at all. At number six in my list of the top ten best most forgettable software apps is Filezilla, open source FTP client
The best technology is transparent: so good you don’t think of it as technology at all. When technology reaches maturity it disappears into the fabric of our lives. The FTP client is ideal when uploading or downloading files is as simple as moving them around your computer, and the metaphor of the desktop at the heart of personal computing is extended to include your web server. The best application in achieving this is Filezilla.
Filezilla is No6 in my top ten most transparent software apps because it makes my web space feel like a seamless extension of my desktop better than any other FTP client I have encountered.
It does this by first of all not requiring the user to set up the connection details as a discrete server, but as part of the process the first time and then remembering the details for next time. It provides rapid transfers, not appearing to add overhead to the limitations of your web connection. It allows drag and drop from other windows on the desktop. And it appears better at maintain a connection than many similar applications.
It appears no higher than no6, because ultimately it is not a creative or productive application; it is a utilitarian tool that carries out an essential task without a fuss.
There are some other similar applications that deserve an honorable mention: FireFTP, an add-on for the Firefox internet browser, integrates superbly into the browser and this achieves an unparalled level of convenience through convergence of the browsing and file transfer functions. However, it is not as quick or reliable as Filezilla, especially when downloading larger file sets, so lose out this way. CoffeeCup offer both a free and commercial FTP client. The former loses out to Filezilla on performance and ease of setup, and the latter loses on cost.
Filezilla is one of the most transparent software applications you will encounter. Its place in this list is limited only by the nature of the problem it is designed to address.