URLs

http://staff.um.edu.mt/mros1/wwww

Notice that it consists of several different parts as shown below

In this case, the protocol is http: which is used for browsing normal hypertext pages. N.B. Most servers allow the filename to be omitted. In such cases, a standard filename (usually "index.html" or "default.html") is automatically assumed.

Other common protocols appearing in URLs are ftp:, and file:, and mailto:.

ftp:

FTP stands for file transfer protocol. This is used for transferring files either from your computer to a server (uploading) or from a server to your computer (downloading). Typically, when downloading, you will be asked for the name of a file in which the downloaded file will be stored. However, if the file is a plain text file, it may simply be displayed. The exact behaviour depends on the way your browser has been set up.

file:

The file: protocol is not really a protocol at all in that it specifies a file stored on a machine. Although of limited use in a networked environment it is handy for accessing personal files on the home computer where the browser is running. As such, it can be used for browsing and editing "personal" document collections that are not yet published on the Internet.

mailto:

This is used to create a mail message to a specified recipient. By clicking on mailto:mros1@um.edu.mt, for example, you will send me a message. Notice the absence of "//" separators in this kind of URL.