How can I download the files? And what does the FTP paths do?

[thegeniusengi]

The question is in the subject. I'm new so sorry!

[Andy]

Please read this: http://www.betaarchive.com/contributions.php

The FTP path allows you to quickly find the file on the FTP once you have access.

[thegeniusengi]

Please read this: http://www.betaarchive.com/contributions.php

The FTP path allows you to quickly find the file on the FTP once you have access.

Yeah but it seems like I have to contribute some beta software so I can access it, but I have none. How can I download the files without using the FTP server? Since:
1. I don't know how to download through FTP.
2. I read the servers' info and see there are 2 servers, one is HTTP and one is FTP, and I want to download through HTTP.

[x010]

Please read this: http://www.betaarchive.com/contributions.php

The FTP path allows you to quickly find the file on the FTP once you have access.

Yeah but it seems like I have to contribute some beta software so I can access it, but I have none. How can I download the files without using the FTP server? Since:
1. I don't know how to download through FTP.
2. I read the servers' info and see there are 2 servers, one is HTTP and one is FTP, and I want to download through HTTP.

That's the whole point. BA does not offer its FTP servers just like that, you need to contribute a release. See viewtopic.php?f=39&t=32742.
Also, once you get access, the instructions in the FTP page will explain how to download through FTP.

As for part 2, this is the HTTP site. The FTP server is used for downloads, while the HTTP server is for the website (forum, wiki etc). It's not possible to download using HTTP.

[Windowsbegood]

You need to get access to the FTP server (the one that has the downloads), once you do you neeed an FTP client such as FileZilla, WinSCP, or any other.

[Darkstar]

Yeah but it seems like I have to contribute some beta software so I can access it, but I have none.

You will have to find something to upload before you can download. Check the links that others have posted.

1. I don't know how to download through FTP.

You will have to learn that. See it as BA's contribution to learning old-school file distribution techniques

2. I read the servers' info and see there are 2 servers, one is HTTP and one is FTP, and I want to download through HTTP.

The HTTP server is for the forum and database only, you cannot download anything there. Files can only be downloaded from the FTP server.

[thegeniusengi]

Yeah but it seems like I have to contribute some beta software so I can access it, but I have none.

You will have to find something to upload before you can download. Check the links that others have posted.

1. I don't know how to download through FTP.

You will have to learn that. See it as BA's contribution to learning old-school file distribution techniques

2. I read the servers' info and see there are 2 servers, one is HTTP and one is FTP, and I want to download through HTTP.

The HTTP server is for the forum and database only, you cannot download anything there. Files can only be downloaded from the FTP server.

Oook it seems like I have to contribute some software, but I can't find literally any, so I guess that I wasted my time? Damn it, just ugh. Well ok thanks

[thegeniusengi]

Thank you guys but it seems I have to contribute some original software I have but the archive don't have (which I don't have any, since I don't collect beta stuff, because I'm just someone who would like to research the files only, not collecting them.)
So now I have to find a workaround, still, thank you for your support!

[mrpijey]

There's nothing that says you can only contribute betas. Any titles of any age will do as long as they are original. This is specified in the guidelines if you've read them.

[thegeniusengi]

There's nothing that says you can only contribute betas. Any titles of any age will do as long as they are original. This is specified in the guidelines if you've read them.

Yeah I know, but then, I have..... no original software. Most of the "original" software I own are useless (They are designed for accountants, I collect them sometimes, but there's no boxes of them, and it's can be downloaded for free online (at least in my country btw)). So nah, I don't have any.

[Darkstar]

Yeah, well, if you cannot find anything to donate then you'll have to look for your betas elsewhere, sorry.

Too bad you don't seem to want to invest an hour or two (asking around friends) or a few dollars (buying something on a flea market, pawn shop or ebay) but it's okay, I think BA can survive without you

[thegeniusengi]

I think BA can survive without you

Ok then gg bye lol, may have to look for Windows beta somewhere, but for now tho, gg and bye!

[x010]

I think BA can survive without you

Please do not make such comments against users for any reason. Each user that comes here is valuable to BA, even if they can't necessarily contribute a release. In fact, that user could be just as useful by contributing to the forum or the wiki.

[thegeniusengi]

I think BA can survive without you

Please do not make such comments against users for any reason. Each user that comes here is valuable to BA, even if they can't necessarily contribute a release. In fact, that user could be just as useful by contributing to the forum or the wiki.

Can I? Well even if I contribute to the forum or the wiki, I will still can't get access to the FTP server, so I guess he/she/they is right?

[thegeniusengi]

Too bad you don't seem to want to invest an hour or two (asking around friends) or a few dollars (buying something on a flea market, pawn shop or ebay)

That's very funny of you. My friends are not like me They aren't some nerds who would like some beta softwares to use. And no flea market in my country got ANYTHING that even related a little bit to technology, let alone beta softwares.

[x010]

I think BA can survive without you

Please do not make such comments against users for any reason. Each user that comes here is valuable to BA, even if they can't necessarily contribute a release. In fact, that user could be just as useful by contributing to the forum or the wiki.

Can I? Well even if I contribute to the forum or the wiki, I will still can't get access to the FTP server, so I guess he/she/they is right?

While they are indeed right, a user saying that " I think BA can survive without you" is akin to telling that they are no value to this site, which is absolutely incorrect. I manage the wiki here, and have users without FTP access who contribute to it, and I'm grateful for that. Similarly, we have several forum users who have a substantial number of posts that don't have server access here, and their contributions are just as valued.

According to Darkstar, such users are useless to the site. That's the point I was trying to get across.

Offtopic Comment

And frankly, if I had the choice to give such users FTP access, I would.

[Darkstar]

And no flea market in my country got ANYTHING that even related a little bit to technology, let alone beta softwares.

Okay, repeat after me:

You. Don't. Need. To. Upload. BETA. Software. To. Get. FTP. Access.


You just need to find ANY ORIGINAL CD with software on it. Not shareware or coverdisc, but literally anything else will do. I don't understand why people get this wrong all the time. It's literally right in the first paragraph of the rules/guides. Maybe this part should be phrased so that it is even easier to understand. Or written in bold. Or something.

And THIS is why I said BA can live without you. Because if you don't even invest the 2 minutes it takes to read the whole guide, you are clearly just here to beg for access "oh no I cannot provide anything, I have not a single original CD/DVD, I have no friends who have anything on CD/DVD, and there is no way I can get a single CD/DVD from a flea market, ebay, craiglist, or whatever"... Sure, x010 is right, people who cannot or do not want to upload stuff are indeed valuable to BA, but only if they take part in useful discussions on the forum or make valuable contributions to the Wiki. But in your case you have made it rather clear that you're not interested in those, you're only here for the "free beta filez".

BA has only one rule, and that is that you have to provide something. This is not an unreasonable rule, and as many members here can attest, it is not impossible to follow that rule, no matter in which country you live. Other places require you to fulfill 1:1 ratios, or provide monthly monetary donations. BA does nothing like that. You basically get a free pass if you just upload one single properly dumped and scanned CD... and it doesn't actually have to be properly scanned if you don't have a scanner, which is a rule change that was made because people STILL kept complaining that this one single rule was too harsh and prevented too many people from contributing. So the bar is basically already as low as it gets, yet you still are not satisfied unless we give you "free beta filez" so that you can grab what you want and leave...

Please read the rules again, consider if you can and want to follow them, and if not, please stop complaining as the rules won't be bent for you.

[johndoe123]

You really can upload non-betas that are original. I got my FTP access by uploading an original copy of Office 2013 Home And Business so your accountant software "should" be accepted because they are original.

[thegeniusengi]

You really can upload non-betas that are original. I got my FTP access by uploading an original copy of Office 2013 Home And Business so your accountant software "should" be accepted because they are original.

Yeah, but..... I have no covers for my software. I try to find them, but I don't really know if the admins and mods DO accept any software with no box covers, so....

[Winins]

You really can upload non-betas that are original. I got my FTP access by uploading an original copy of Office 2013 Home And Business so your accountant software "should" be accepted because they are original.

Yeah, but..... I have no covers for my software. I try to find them, but I don't really know if the admins and mods DO accept any software with no box covers, so....

My first FTP contribution has no box covers and it's accepted...

[Windowsbegood]

Mine also only had the envelopes and was accepted, as long as you dump and scan it properly it should get accepted.

[thegeniusengi]

You really can upload non-betas that are original. I got my FTP access by uploading an original copy of Office 2013 Home And Business so your accountant software "should" be accepted because they are original.

Yeah, but..... I have no covers for my software. I try to find them, but I don't really know if the admins and mods DO accept any software with no box covers, so....

My first FTP contribution has no box covers and it's accepted...

Ok thanks for it. Will upload the software soon!

[Winins]

You really can upload non-betas that are original. I got my FTP access by uploading an original copy of Office 2013 Home And Business so your accountant software "should" be accepted because they are original.

Yeah, but..... I have no covers for my software. I try to find them, but I don't really know if the admins and mods DO accept any software with no box covers, so....

My first FTP contribution has no box covers and it's accepted...

Ok thanks for it. Will upload the software soon!

I mean, you still need to scan the front and the back of the CD.

[johndoe123]

You just need to scan the CD if you don't have the packaging.

[Darkstar]

You just need to scan the CD if you don't have the packaging.

No, you always have to scan the CD. It has nothing to do with packaging