Anonymous (definition)

To log on to any FTP site, you must identify yourself with a user ID and password. Some FTP sites let you use the word anonymous as a User ID, and your e-mail address as your password; this is known as an "anonymous login."

FTP sites that allow anonymous logins usually exist to provide files that can be downloaded by the general public; anyone on the Internet can log onto the site anonymously and copy files to his or her PC. This is similar to logging on to a file server as a "guest."

Anonymous logins have access to a vast store of software, games, music, and numerous other resources. However, if you log in anonymously, you usually are not allowed to do more than view public folders and download files. (You are usually unable to view private folders or to upload files.)