The following code to connect to a Stratus VOS system
does not work because as you can see in the trace output
the WebRequest has decided to do it's own thing and issue
a PWD after which it issues a CWD based on the reply.

It is also issuing a "OPTS utf8 on" which I did not ask for.

I am asking for a directory listing in the code so why is it
issuing these other commands and what can be done about it?

---------- Code ----------------
  Sub Main()

       Dim oReader As StreamReader = Nothing
       Dim oRequest As FtpWebRequest = Nothing
       Dim oResponse As FtpWebResponse = Nothing

       Try
           oRequest = WebRequest.Create("ftp://USERNAME:PASSWORD@Majiq")
           oRequest.Method = WebRequestMethods.Ftp.ListDirectory

           oResponse = oRequest.GetResponse
           oReader = New StreamReader(oResponse.GetResponseStream)
           Console.WriteLine(oReader.ReadToEnd)

           Console.WriteLine("-- Mission Accomplished --")

       Catch Ex As WebException
           Console.WriteLine(Ex.ToString)
       Catch ex As Exception
           Console.WriteLine(ex.Message)
       Finally
           Console.ReadLine()
       End Try

   End Sub

------------ Trace Output -------------
System.Net Verbose: 0 : [6124]
WebRequest::Create(ftp://USERNAME:PASSWORD@majiq/)
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124]
FtpWebRequest#39785641::.ctor(ftp://USERNAME:PASSWORD@majiq/)
System.Net Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting WebRequest::Create()     ->
FtpWebRequest#39785641
System.Net Verbose: 0 : [6124] FtpWebRequest#39785641::GetResponse()
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124]
FtpWebRequest#39785641::GetResponse(Method=NLST.)
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Socket(InterNetwork#2)
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Socket()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124]
Socket#45523402::Connect(201:21#-918544865)
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Connect()
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] Associating FtpWebRequest#39785641 with
FtpControlStream#35287174
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Receive()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Receive
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 32 32 30 20 6D 61 6A 69-71
5F 61 70 61 67 20 46 : 220 majiq_apag F
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000010 : 54 50 20 73 65 72 76 65-72
20 28 46 54 50 20 31 : TP server (FTP 1
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000020 : 2E 30 20 66 6F 72 20 53-74
72 61 74 75 73 20 53 : .0 for Stratus S
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000030 : 54 43 50 29 20 72 65 61-64
79 2E 20 28 43 6F 6D : TCP) ready. (Com
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000040 : 70 61 74 69 62 6C 65 20-77
69 74 68 20 4F 53 20 : patible with OS
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000050 : 54 43 50 2F 49 50 29 0D-0A
                    : TCP/IP)..
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Receive()
    -> 89#89
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Received
response [220 majiq_apag FTP server (FTP 1.0 for Stratus STCP) ready.
(Compatible with OS TCP/IP)]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Sending
command [USER USERNAME]
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Send()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Send
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 55 53 45 52 20 4C 61 62-4E
65 74 0D 0A          : USER USERNAME..
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Send()     ->
13#13
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Receive()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Receive
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 33 33 31 20 50 61 73 73-77
6F 72 64 20 72 65 71 : 331 Password req
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000010 : 75 69 72 65 64 20 66 6F-72
20 4C 61 62 4E 65 74 : uired for USERNAME
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000020 : 2E 0D 0A                  
                    : ...
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Receive()
    -> 35#35
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Received
response [331 Password required for USERNAME.]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Sending
command [PASS ********]
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Send()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Send
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 50 41 53 53 20 68 6F 6D-65
79 0D 0A             : PASS PASSWORD..
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Send()     ->
12#12
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Receive()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Receive
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 32 33 30 20 55 73 65 72-20
4C 61 62 4E 65 74 2E : 230 User USERNAME.
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000010 : 75 73 65 72 73 20 6C 6F-67
67 65 64 20 69 6E 2E : users logged in.
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000020 : 0D 0A                      
                    : ..
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Receive()
    -> 34#34
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Received
response [230 User USERNAME.users logged in.]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Sending
command [OPTS utf8 on]
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Send()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Send
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 4F 50 54 53 20 75 74 66-38
20 6F 6E 0D 0A       : OPTS utf8 on..
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Send()     ->
14#14
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Receive()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Receive
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 35 30 30 20 43 6F 6D 6D-61
6E 64 20 6E 6F 74 20 : 500 Command not
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000010 : 75 6E 64 65 72 73 74 6F-6F
64 2E 0D 0A          : understood...
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Receive()
    -> 29#29
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Received
response [500 Command not understood.]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Sending
command [PWD]
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Send()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Send
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 50 57 44 0D 0A            
                    : PWD..
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Send()     -> 5#5
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Receive()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Receive
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 32 35 37 20 22 25 6D 61-6A
69 71 5F 61 70 61 67 : 257 "%majiq_apag
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000010 : 23 64 30 31 3E 75 73 65-72
73 3E 61 70 63 6D 3E : #d01>users>apcm>
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000020 : 64 62 3E 70 74 70 3E 69-6E
22 20 69 73 20 63 75 : db>ptp>in" is cu
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000030 : 72 72 65 6E 74 20 64 69-72
65 63 74 6F 72 79 2E : rrent directory.
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000040 : 0D 0A                      
                    : ..
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Receive()
    -> 66#66
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Received
response [257 "%majiq_apag#d01>users>apcm>db>ptp>in" is current directory.]
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Sending
command [CWD %majiq_apag#d01>users>apcm>db>ptp>in/]
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Send()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Send
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 43 57 44 20 25 6D 61 6A-69
71 5F 61 70 61 67 23 : CWD %majiq_apag#
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000010 : 64 30 31 3E 75 73 65 72-73
3E 61 70 63 6D 3E 64 : d01>users>apcm>d
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000020 : 62 3E 70 74 70 3E 69 6E-2F
0D 0A                : b>ptp>in/..
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Send()     ->
43#43
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Receive()
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Data from Socket#45523402::Receive
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000000 : 35 35 30 20 25 6D 61 6A-69
71 5F 61 70 61 67 23 : 550 %majiq_apag#
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000010 : 64 30 31 3E 75 73 65 72-73
3E 61 70 63 6D 3E 64 : d01>users>apcm>d
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000020 : 62 3E 70 74 70 3E 69 6E-2F
3A 20 4E 6F 20 73 75 : b>ptp>in/: No su
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000030 : 63 68 20 66 69 6C 65 20-6F
72 20 64 69 72 65 63 : ch file or direc
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] 00000040 : 74 6F 72 79 2E 2E 0D 0A-  
                    : tory....
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting Socket#45523402::Receive()
    -> 72#72
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpControlStream#35287174 - Received
response [550 %majiq_apag#d01>users>apcm>db>ptp>in/: No such file or
directory..]
System.Net.Sockets Verbose: 0 : [6124] Socket#45523402::Dispose()
System.Net Information: 0 : [6124] FtpWebRequest#39785641::(Releasing FTP
connection#35287174.)
System.Net Error: 0 : [6124] Exception in the
FtpWebRequest#39785641::GetResponse - The remote server returned an error:
(550) File unavailable (e.g., file not found, no access).
System.Net Error: 0 : [6124]    at
System.Net.FtpWebRequest.SyncRequestCallback(Object obj)
  at System.Net.FtpWebRequest.RequestCallback(Object obj)
  at System.Net.CommandStream.Abort(Exception e)
  at System.Net.FtpWebRequest.FinishRequestStage(RequestStage stage)
  at System.Net.FtpWebRequest.GetResponse()
System.Net Verbose: 0 : [6124] Exiting FtpWebRequest#39785641::GetResponse()