The Internet Chess Library (chess.onenet.net) is an anonymous FTP archive 
containing a large amount of chess information and programs (~200MB). 

All of the FICS Graphical interfaces are available there, and much more,
and access is free.  It is available via your favorite Web browser, like
Netscape or Mosaic (URL: http://chess.onenet.net/chess) or simply ftp
(file transfer protocol), a very common program available on most Unix
systems and many others.  Web access would be best and most intuitive,
but instruction for using ftp follow:

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The most standard command to initiate an ftp connection to the ICL would
be (from your host's prompt, not FICS's):
 
     ftp chess.onenet.net
  or ftp 164.58.253.10
 
If this seems to be garbage to your system, you'll need to find out more
from a local systems administrator.

If you connect to the server, you will be asked for a Username (type
"anonymous") and a Password (as it will tell you, give your email address).
Note: chess.onenet.net and caissa.onenet.net are the same machine currently.

   ftp chess.onenet.net
 
   Connected to chess.onenet.net. 
   220 caissa.onenet.net FTP server (Version wu-2.4(1) Tue Oct 11 11:29:11 1994)
   ready
   Name (your-host.your-domain:your-username): anonymous
   331 Guest login ok, send your complete e-mail address as password.
   Password:  your@email.address
 
In this example, we will go to the DOS directory.  All files and directories 
in the current directory can be seen with "dir".  "cd" changes directories.  
a "/" separates directory names when specifying directories within 
directories. "help" will give you a list of available commands in ftp.
 
   cd /pub/chess/DOS
 
or cd DOS    

( users of DELPHI may need to type:   cd "DOS" )
 
"dir" will show you all the files and directories here.  There are quite
a few.  We will now transfer the software for ZIICS, a graphical interface
which runs under DOS on PC's.  The "binary" command sets the transfer
mode to binary type (8 bit, for true binary/executable data).  The "get"
command transfers a file.
 
   binary
   get ziics121.exe

If you are done, "quit" will exit you from ftp.

   quit

Now all you need to do is transfer the file to your local PC or workstation,
assuming you do not have a direct Internet connection or PPP/SLIP.  This is
done most commonly with "kermit" or "zmodem".  Check around locally for
what is available.
 
Channel 1 is a great place to get help help from people on-line at FICS.

See also: interfaces, addresses