Re: How to use IEwhatever for direct FTP file link?

[crosspost to IE General newsgroup]

Please state your IE version and full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3;
Vista x64 SP2) when posting to this newsgroup.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002

Phil Smith wrote:
> I typically use Firefox. I will often send someone a link such as:
>
> ftp://ftp.server.com/thisfile.pdf.
>
> When I hit that link within Firefox, I am presented with a name and
> password dialog box, and then I get thisfile.pdf in my browser. No
> problem.
>
> However, I recently found out that this does not work with IE. The same
> link which works fine in FF fails with "Cannot find server or DNS Error."
>
> I can go to ftp://ftp.server.com, get my login dialog box, and am then
> presented with a list of files in the target directory, and I can click
> on any of those and open that file, but this is going to be used by busy
> impatient computer unsavvy individuals, and there will be thousands of
> files with nothing but a numeric filename to go for. This is not going
> to fly with them.
>
> Is there anyway to get the behavior I am looking for out of IE, which is
> a direct link to a filename residing on my FTP server, or is Firefox
> simply superior to IE in this respect?