pete@octopus.UUCP (Pete Holzmann) (08/22/86)
THANK YOU to the many who responded to my recent request for info on
communicatinos programs that properly handle flow control. This is a
summary of the responses and my subsequent experience:
The responses were almost unanimous in recommending either ProComm (2.3
is the latest version) or MS-Kermit (2.29 is the latest). A kind soul
sent me MS-Kermit, and I picked up ProComm locally.
A review of the two:
Kermit: lots of options, but not really as flexible as the number of
options might lead one to believe. Comes with one terminal emulator (VT102)
and only one file transfer protocol (Kermit, no sliding windows). Can
use 38.4 KBaud, a win. Drives my LCD display at about 6 Kbaud. User
interface isn't too bad once you know how to use it, but it is not at
all intuitive (you must 'Cancel Connection' to get to command mode, and
that doesn't *really* break the connection, fortunately!).
No dialing directory or other niceties, although you *can* push into DOS.
File transfers are slooooowwww. Running between two 8 MHz AT's at 38.4
KBaud, I could only push through about 300 bytes a second!!! Rather poor.
However, I didn't find any bugs. It may not do a whole lot, but it works.
ProComm: Great user interface, lots of terminal emulations, lots of transfer
protocols, lots of niceities including dialing directory that can also
link to destination-specific command files (for auto-login, etc). Color,
windows, (even sound if you can stand it). Very fast file transfers
(even good in Kermit, with sliding windows, but slower than the other
protocols). It is a 'shareware' program (kermit is from a University,
presumably more altruistic). BUT A BIG BOO for all the bugs. ProComm
has a strong tendency to lock up. More so on AT's, but also on PC's.
It can happen when you aren't doing anything, it can happen during file
transfer, it can happen due to problems in terminal emulation, it can
happen... you get the idea. I've posted another article asking for help
with these problems. I just can't trust ProComm. Otherwise, it would be
the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Actually, there's two wish-list features I wish could be added to ProComm
or some other program:
1) Conditional branching and user-input in command files, similar
to some of the capabilities of CrossTalk.
2) Putting something like CWEEP into the comm program, so that
one could easily select the files to be block-transferred.
It would make unattended operation MUCH more useful! It
would even be better if you could grab filenames off the
screen (so you could get a remote directory, then just
point at the files you want to download).
Again, thanks for the help! (My current status: using ProComm in general,
but using MS-Kermit when it is important that the job get done right without
system-reboot hassles).
--
OOO __| ___ Peter Holzmann, Octopus Enterprises
OOOOOOO___/ _______ USPS: 19611 La Mar Court, Cupertino, CA 95014
OOOOO \___/ UUCP: {hplabs!hpdsd,pyramid}!octopus!pete
___| \_____ Phone: 408/996-7746dpz@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU (David P. Zimmerman) (08/23/86)
> Kermit: lots of options, but not really as flexible as the number of > options might lead one to believe. Comes with one terminal emulator (VT102) Nope. Three emulators - VT52, VT102, and Heath-19. Four if you count raw "none" mode - some BBSs use it. David -- David P. Zimmerman "Unix RULES!!!" - anonymous Arpa: dpz@topaz.rutgers.edu Uucp: ...{allegra | harvard | seismo | sri-iu | ut-sally}!topaz!dpz