jmh@ukc.UUCP (J.M.Hague) (01/16/85)
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The June/July 84 Byte articles on Kermit include a suggestion that
Kermit could be extended to provide a remote file server capability. Anybody
out there know of any work done in this direction ?
--
Jim Hague ..!mcvax!ukc!jmh
"Ten miles he swam. The last three were agony.
They were over land." - The Goon Show ('Dishonoured')William Chops Westfield <BillW@SU-SCORE> (01/19/85)
In recent RFCs about micro-computer networking, it was pointed out that KERMIT was inappropriate for general purpose communications, being very specialized for file transfer. The KERMIT developers agreed with this view. In the respect that a file server could mean just a system that makes files available for downloading, and a place to store files indefinately, KERMIT is certainly that already. However, A file server is usually required to do more compliacted things - such as downloading a single record for updating, transparent access from programs, and so on, and I doubt whether KERMIT would be able to do this without a great deal of work, and even then, i dont think it would be very good at it. At the last DECUS, there were two software vendors with products that did a much more complete job of implementing such tools. Here is a segment from my trip report on that DECUS: ------------ Micros and LSM machines. There were two interesting products from 3rd party software developers that achieve quite similar ends. MOBIUS, from FEL industries, and RAF from (Datability) both provide transparent mainframe file access from a micro - you define a new disk drive to be the mainframe, and then any program can access files on the mainframe just by referencing that drive. A complete system call interface is provided, so that these offer "remote file access" instead of just FTP - only the relevant data is sent over the serial line. MOBIUS provides a facility for defining microcomputer commands that run mainframe program (type MM on you micro, and it runs the program on the 20, drops you into terminal mode, and drops you back to the micro when the program exits). RAF provides a remote procedure call system, so that datatreive programs (for example) can do the terminal IO intensive parts of their work directly on the micro. Both programs do data compression and error checking and so on, and claim to work reasonably over a 1200 bps connection. Both run on 20s, Vaxen, and MSDOS machines. MOBIUS also works under CPM. A phone number for FEL is (802)348-6644, I dont have a phone number for datability handy... Enjoy BillW
jss@sjuvax.UUCP (J. Shapiro) (01/29/85)
[Aren't you hungry...?] Some versions of kermit (e.g. the VAX version under VMS) provide facilities for running in server mode. What you do is log in to the vax, fire up kermit, tell it to play server, then go back to your machine and do get and send (or take/put??) in any case, the server goes away and logs you out when it is done. This is an optional feature not available on all Kermits, notably absent on UNIX kermit. Unfortunately, the VAX implementation is in Bliss or Macro, so porting it is non trivial.... Anyone out there have a Bliss to C converter??? Jon Shapiro Haverford College
kelvin@arizona.UUCP (Kelvin Nilsen) (02/02/85)
> > Anyone out there have a Bliss to C converter??? > How about UNIX kermit with basic server mode, DEC-20 command parsing, repeat and 8th bit quoting etc... I don't want to over-step the authority of Columbia University but I offered to contribute all of the above and they told me no thanks, they've already done it. I continue to watch for their announcement, but all I see are lots of people complaining about the current state of affairs. If you'd like an IBM PC compatible diskette with the above code written and tested for Berkeley 4.2 only (this was kermit version 3.0 before I got ahold of it), send $10 to cover our expenses and we'll send it out. By the way, if you buy versacom (vt100 emulator, kermit, and xmodem for the ibm pc, or sanyo mbc 55*) for $35 + $5 shipping/handling, we'll include the UNIX code on the disk at n/c. thanks, kelvin nilsen, programmer for solution software 3421 n. 1st ave. #120 tucson, az 85719 (602) 323-0841
pritch@osu-eddie.UUCP (Norman Pritchett) (02/03/85)
> How about UNIX kermit with basic server mode, DEC-20 command parsing, > repeat and 8th bit quoting etc... > > I don't want to over-step the authority of Columbia University but > I offered to contribute all of the above and they told me no thanks, > they've already done it. I continue to watch for their announcement, > but all I see are lots of people complaining about the current state > of affairs. > Yeah, I asked about it too and got a reply from Frank da Cruz saying to expect an announce this or next week. -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Norm Pritchett - The Generic Hacker UUCP: ...!cbosgd!osu-eddie!pritch BITNET: TS0017@OHSTVMA
knutson@ut-ngp.UUCP (Jim Knutson) (02/06/85)
It was announced today:
Date: Tue 5 Feb 85 16:09:41-EST
From: Frank da Cruz <SY.FDC%CU20B@COLUMBIA.ARPA>
Subject: Info-Kermit Digest V2 #1 -- New Unix Kermit
To: Info-Kermit-Members%CU20B@COLUMBIA.ARPA
Cc: Info-Unix@BRL-TGR.ARPA
Info-Kermit Digest Tue, 5 Feb 1985 Volume 2 : Number 1
ANNOUNCEMENTS -
New Unix Kermit Available for Testing
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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@csnet-relay (ARPA)
The phone number is for 300/1200 baud (bell compatible).
------------------------------
End of Info-Kermit Digest
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