6090617@PUCC.UUCP (07/31/86)
There is mention of a Kinetics users group in the archives. Where is this and how would I join? Also is there some organization that maintains communication between Appletalk developers, and keeps people up to date on the results after the IP conference?
cperry@MITRE.ARPA.UUCP (08/01/86)
If there is a Kinetics users group *or* a MacIP interest group, count me in... Chris (cperry@mitre.arpa)
verber@OHIO-STATE.ARPA (Mark Verber) (08/01/86)
Yes, there is a Kinetics users group. Membership is free. Send your name, company, address, phone, and system configuration to: Kinetics 2500 Camino Diablo, Suite 110 Walnut Creek, California 94596 Cheers, Mark A. Verber verber@ohio-state.arpa (internet) The Ohio State University verber@ohio-state.csnet (csnet) +1 (614) 422-0915 cbosgd!osu-eddie!verber (uucpnet)
tim@hoptoad.UUCP (Tim Maroney) (08/11/86)
It has recently come to my attention that Kinetics has been shipping an old, buggy version of MacIP, released in November 1986. The final version was released in December 1986 at the Maryland Campus Networking Conference. All the bugs but three were zapped in that release; the remaining bugs are (1) due to stack space limitations and the desirability of compatibility with the 128K Mac, desk accessories do not work with TELNET. (2) Because CMU was several years behind the rest of the world in upgrading to 4.2bsd, I was unable to test the system with 4.2bsd TELNET. Consequently, it has a problem in that the 4.2 TELNET daemon times out if you leave the session alone for a lengthy time. (3) No name service was available at CMU; therefore, I was unable to test name service, and predictably it does not work. The old UDP-based name service is obsolete in any case; in the future I will be using domain name service. For those of you who don't know already, I am working on a supported version of MacIP, with the chief applications at first being TELNET and FTP (not TFTP). The protocols will be available to software running in any context on the Mac, without a need to link large protocol libraries. This includes applications, desk accessories, drivers, and any other type of code resource your fevered brain can imagine. We at Centram expect to ship a beta release during the second week of September; however, we already have as many beta testers lined up as we can handle, so please don't send me applications - sorry. The new release is a complete ground-up reimplementation. Software can only go through so many hands before it wears out, and it's my opinion that the PCIP code has reached this point, even with the improvements I put into the TCP and TFTP protocols. It was very good for code with some twenty programmers working on it, originally intended to do small protocol subsets and eventually extended to larger subsets, but I found myself toward the end of work at CMU struggling mostly against the limitations of this much-rehacked software (and Lisa Pascal, which I have abandoned in favor of Workshop C. For those of you who haven't had a chance to play with this yet, check it out! The Greenhills C compiler it uses produces far better code than Megamax, Lightspeed, or Consulair, albeit at the cost of compilation time. The only significant bug is in function pointers in non-application contexts, and Apple assures me they will zap that one soon). Another note: Because of considerations having to do with the linking of Appletalk networks with standard Appletalk bridges, I will continue to run IP on top of DDP. Thanks in particular to Bill Croft and Martin Haeberli for convincing me this is the right thing to do. I should point out to those of you requiring protocol services for original networking software that the University of Michigan has been using the TCP protocol library for months in their MacApollo project with minimal difficulties. Therefore, the existing public domain code may well be suitable for your needs. All that is needed is a Lisa Pascal compiler to create and link the protocol libraries. I gave the updated software to Kinetics some weeks ago, so new shipments should contain the December software. If not, it means Kinetics is trying to increase demand for their own terminal emulator, due to be released this fall.... Tim Maroney Centram Systems, Berkeley CA ihnp4!hoptoad!tim (uucp), hoptoad!tim@lll-crg.arpa
tim@hoptoad.UUCP (Tim Maroney) (08/12/86)
As Tovar has pointed out, the MacIP releases were in 1985, not 1986. Sorry, but it is sometimes difficult for us time travellers to keep track. But 1985 B.C. it was. On rereading, my message also contained a stupid joke that was meant as a breezy, fun poke at my friends at Kinetics. Unfortunately, it came out as a nasty slur against the company. My apologies to any who might have been offended. Kinetics is now shipping the updated MacIP, and has been doing so ever since I gave them the new copy. Give 'em a ring to see how to get your copy. It is my impression that they are also working on new gateway software that will allow both Seagate-style routing and direct Appletalk, a nice enhancement for an already superior product. Tim Maroney