14 DAY TRIAL // A new FTP client shouldn't harm anyone, unless the software comes in a heavy box and hits you in the head at the end of a long fall...but since this is not possible here, I'll go ahead and introduce you another program belonging to the FTP clients family.
My target today is called BulletProof FTP, the version that I have here is numbered 2.4.5 and comes as a 30 days full featured trial version. The installation kit has 1.23MB in size and the setup process should be easy to follow and complete for everyone. Once the download and install step are complete, we can move on to our usual job and check out the program's interface and features, so here it goes...
The program's interface hits me right in the face, and although I've seen worse, I don't like it all. There aren't any cute icons here, the toolbars can be hidden or not, but you can't drag them as you want(for example, if I use this program maximized at 1280X1024, I can't have the three toolbars on the same line, which is not good at all), like the file panes or the log window. I don't have to say more here, but I remind you that when I am judging a commercial product, I want the best possible within its price range, and even more, I need to see balance between interface, ease of use, features and documentation.
As far as I was able to figure out, since the documentation of the program doesn't help you much, BulletProof FTP supports only regular FTP connections.
When talking about organizing your saved connections, the Site Manager can help. This tool can be started using the Ctrl+S keyboard shortcut, from the Main menu or clicking its associated toolbar icon. I can't say that we have an excellent feature with great design, but it gets the job done.
Most file operations are done with your mouse, but the major drawback here is the lack of enough keyboard shortcuts. I don't have to explain drag and drop, so I'll try to see what else should be said about this program before drawing any conclusion.
BulletProof FTP can do a very smart thing, automatically reconnect and resume downloads when a server closes the connection. I know that a white ball can't fill the pot, but this is a quite nice one, for sure.
Before I draw the conclusions, I must say that this program has enough options to change, giving it enough flexibility and power to make it a worthy choice for a trial run, no matter its drawbacks. If it is a worthy buy, that's a completely different question, and the answer should come during your trials...
The Good
BulletProof FTP is easy to use, fast and has some excellent features that make it an interesting choice for a 30 days trial and even as a buy, if you think it's the program you've been looking for.
The Bad
The interface is not a good choice, in my opinion, and I think it needs a lot of work, and the Help system has the same problem. Support for more server types should also be considered as an addition.
The Truth
I have FileZilla and BulletProof FTP has nothing that special to make me spend 30$ for it, so I'll be happy with my little monster as I was so far. Anyway, getting to know new programs is also a challenge, and I suggest you try this out, maybe you won't like FileZilla, and, who knows, you'll like today's target, BulletProof FTP...
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
