Info-Kermit Digest V2 #1 -- New Unix Kermit

[DBESLER%UOFMCC.BITNET at cunyvm.cuny.edu]

Info-Kermit Digest         Tue,  5 Feb 1985       Volume 2 : Number  1

  ANNOUNCEMENTS -
      New Unix Kermit Available for Testing

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My apologies for the long delay since the last issue of the Info-Kermit
Digest, which was Vol.1, No.46, dated 31 December 1984.  This first issue
of Volume 2 is to announce a test release of the new Unix Kermit.  In
subsequent issues, I'll attempt to catch up on other overdue items.

A new Kermit program has been written in C, initially for 4.2 Berkeley Unix.
The features of this program include:

. Full implementation of the Kermit protocol, except for Attribute packets:
  - Acts as server
  - Talks to server
  - All packet encoding and error checking options are provided
  - File transfer interruption
  - Filename collision avoidance
  - Binary and text file transfer
. Modular construction for easy portability to other systems
. An interactive command parser as well as Unix-style command line arguments
. Command and initialization files
. Piped operation
. Improved terminal connect, with optional logging
. Logs for debugging, packets, and transactions
. Communication with IBM mainframes

Several items on the wish list were not done for lack of time.  They will
probably be added in the future:

. File attributes
. Command macros
. Login scripts
. Raw file transmit

The new program is called "C-Kermit" because it is intended as a basis for
Kermit programs for any systems that have C compilers.  Its version number
is 4.0, to distinguish it from earlier releases of Unix Kermit, the most
recent of which was 3.0.

This prerelease test version of the program runs only under Berkeley Unix 4.2.
We also intend to bring it to the following systems within the coming weeks:

. DEC Pro-350 and Pro-380 with Venix (a Unix v7 derivative)
. Amdahl UTS on IBM 370-series mainframes
. Apple Macintosh (maybe)

Support for other systems will have to be added elsewhere.  The program is
being "pre-released" at this time for two reasons:

1. It seems to be perfectly usable on Berkeley 4.2 systems, and is an
   improvement over the previous version.

2. The modular design may need some adjustment to accommodate certain systems.
   Before a great deal of additional coding is done, it is highly desirable
   to get the design and specification of the system-dependent modules stable.

Therefore, please take the files, read the documentation, try running the
program on your Berkeley Unix system if you have one, and send comments or bug
reports to me as soon as you can.  If you have a Unix system that is not
Berkeley Unix, or a non-Unix system with a C compiler, please take a look at
the system-dependent modules to see how they could be adapted to your system;
again, if you have any suggestions or criticisms of the design, please let me
know.  I'm particularly interested in issues of portability.  After a round or
two of this, perhaps the design can be agreed upon, and then those who would
like to contribute support for Version 6, System III, System V, Xenix, PC/IX,
etc etc, can do so without fear of running into other people's changes for
other systems.  Before attempting to adapt C-Kermit to a new system, please
let me know so I can tell you whether someone else is already at work on the
same thing, and perhaps put you in touch.

The files are on CU20B as KER:CK*.*, available via anonymous FTP.  The file
CKERMI.DOC provides user-level documentation as well as a description of the
program organization and hints for adapting it to new systems.  Within several
days the files should also be available on BITNET via KERMSRV (to get started
with KERMSRV, type SMSG RSCS MSG CUVMA KERMSRV HELP), and to Unix systems via
UUCP from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK.

Here's how to UUCP to OK State:

You need to set up "okstate" as a site in your "L.sys" UUCP dialing file
using the information listed below.  You can then issue the following
command on your system:

    uucp okstate\!/u/kermit/ck\* /usr/spool/uucppublic

   (this example will retrieve the new Unix version of Kermit)

The "/usr/spool/uucppublic" is chosen as the destination on your system since
the destination must be WIDE OPEN (drwxrwxrwx) to everyone.  You should
not remove files from your uucppublic until the entire transfer is complete
including any redials that are necessary.  If you do remove some files
our system may retransmit them, resulting in a higher phone bill for you.

-- UUCP Login information --

Site Name    :  okstate
Phone number :  (405) 624-6953  (one line only)
Login name   :  uucpker
Password     :  thefrog
Hours        :  10:00pm - 10:00am central time (7 day per week)
Problem      :  okstate!uucp-support  (UUCP)
  reports    :  uucp-support%okstate at csnet-relay  (ARPA)

The phone number is for 300/1200 baud (bell compatible).

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