>I take it back... now my browser doesn't show the dirs either...

In repeated attempts, I am getting very different directory listings,
from that single IP address.  In one instance the responder is:

ftp ftp.software.ibm.com
Connected to dispsd-40-www3.boulder.ibm.com.
220 peak1 FTP server (Version wu-2.6.2(4) Custom Thu Feb 12 14:56:37 MST 2004) 
ready.

which suggests that some kind of "rotary" has been implemented at that site,
which would indicate that it is badly configured, sending sessions to
inappropriate sub FTP servers, where the data does not reside.

I'll use the ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com address, at least until the common
FTP site name gets fixed.

  thanks for your looksee, Andy                    Richard