From: fdc@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Frank da Cruz) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.kermit.announce Subject: Announcing C-Kermit 6.0 Date: 1 Dec 1996 00:52:42 GMT Organization: Columbia University Lines: 149 Keywords: C-Kermit UNIX VMS C-Kermit 6.0 is a major new release of C-Kermit communications software for UNIX (all versions), VMS, QNX, OS-9, Plan 9, BeOS, AOS/VS, and other platforms. It replaces C-Kermit 5A(190) of October 1994. All of the new features of C-Kermit 6.0 -- as well as all those added in all releases since 5A(188) -- are completely documented in the new revised and expanded second edition of the Digital Press book, "Using C-Kermit", just back from the printer and available now. The major new features of C-Kermit 6.0 include: SERIAL COMMUNICATIONS o Dialing - Major advancements in C-Kermit's dialing capalities o Modems - A major overhaul of C-Kermit's modem support o Speeds - more and higher speeds allowed in many versions o New Ability to answer incoming calls o Automatic adjustment of flow control NETWORKS o New ability to accept incoming TCP/IP connections (UNIX and VMS only) o New Rlogin client (privileged in UNIX and VMS) o New network directory, like dialing directory but for network connections o New SET TELNET controls (binary mode, etc) o New SET TCP controls (buffer sizes, keepalive, "linger", etc) o New command-line option "-J" makes C-Kermit "be like Telnet" o X.25 support updated for Solaris / SunLink 8.00 and 9.00. FILE TRANSFER o Autodownload (automatic RECEIVE while in CONNECT mode) (VMS and UNIX) o Autoupload (and more) while in CONNECT mode (VMS and UNIX) o REGET (crash recovery, like RESEND, but for downloading from a server) o Peer recognition for automatically switching into binary mode o Dynamic packet timeouts and other improved error recovery procedures o Lots of useful info added to the fullscreen file transfer display o Quick selection of transfer settings with FAST, CAUTIOUS, ROBUST commands o New command-line option -Q to select fast file transfer o ADD SEND-LIST (build up a list of files to send) o SET FILE DOWNLOAD-DIRECTORY (make all downloads go to same place) o Text-file record format selection o In the UNIX version, built-in support for external protocols (ZMODEM, etc) CLIENT/SERVER o SET SERVER LOGIN (authentication for incoming connections) o Redirection of REMOTE command results (to file, printer, or pipe) o SET SERVER GET-PATH (search path for GET requests) SCRIPT PROGRAMMING o New block structure for script programs - no more commas and dashes! o Local (automatic) variables for macros and command files o New SWITCH statement, as in C o Lots of other new commands and features o Many new variables and functions o Automatic evaluation of arithmetic expressions in many contexts GENERAL o Year-2000 compatibility o Ability to become a fully transparent 8-bit link between 2 end systems o More and better messages and help text o Default prompt shows current directory o NOPUSH available at runtime to disable escape to shell o Many new file management features o Improved speed & responsiveness o Bugs fixed NEW PLATFORMS: o BeBox BeOS DR-7 o Bell Research UNIX v10 o Digital UNIX 3.2 and 4.0 o HP-UX 10.10, 10.20, and 10.30 o IBM AIX 4.1 and 4.2 o NCR SVR4 MPRAS 2.xx o Plan 9 from Bell Labs o SCO OpenServer R5.0 o SCO UnixWare 2.x o Sequent DYNIX/ptx 4.1 o Siemens/Nixdorf SINIX 5.42 o Silicon Graphics IRIX 6.0 o Sun Solaris 2.5 and 2.5.1 The biggest change in version 6.0 concerns modems and dialing. In version 6.0, C-Kermit supports: o Automatic repeated dialing (no scripts required) o Multistage dialing o Credit-card dialing o Dialing numeric and alphanumeric pagers o Incoming modem calls (ANSWER command) o More built-in modem types o Flexible configuration of additional modem types Most significant, perhaps, is the new dialing directory. C-Kermit 6.0 supports multiple simultaneous dialing directories, multiple (thousands, even) entries under the same name (so, for example, if the first number is busy, Kermit immediately goes on to the second number, etc), and most of all, a thorough understanding of dialing procedures: country codes, area codes, toll-free calling, calling cards, PBXs, and so on. This new knowledge about telephone numbers, in turn, allows "cheapest-first" dialing when multiple numbers are fetched from the dialing directory, and it allows dialing directories to be "portable" -- that is, the same entry can be dialed from anywhere -- local, long-distance, international, etc, even from within a PBX -- so, for example, you can carry it around with you on your laptop from city to city, country to country, without ever having to change it. Much of the work on C-Kermit 6.0 and the forthcoming 3.15 release of MS-DOS Kermit was aimed at bringing their script programming languages closer together. This will become apparent when MS-DOS Kermit 3.15 is released. Space prohibits description of all the other new features, but you can get a detailed overview on the Web at: http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/ck60.html HOW TO GET IT C-Kermit 6.0 and the second edition of "Using C-Kermit" are available now by mail order. The C-Kermit software is also available via anonymous ftp. If you have a Web browswer, visit the aforementioned URL for easy navigation. Or use anonymous ftp to kermit.columbia.edu, directory kermit/f, read the READ.ME file, and take it from there. Or contact the Kermit Project by email, phone, or post: E-mail: kermit-orders@columbia.edu Fax: +1 212 663-8202 Voice: +1 212 854-3703 Post: The Kermit Project Columbia University 612 West 115th Street New York NY 10025-7799 USA Thanks to the hundreds of people who contributed to the development and testing of this new release over the past two years; space does not permit a complete list (look in the Acknowledgements section of the new book :-), but special thanks to Jeffrey Altman, William Bader, Mark Berryman, Nelson Beebe, Peter Eichhorn, Carl Friedberg, Hunter Goatley, Lucas Hart, Bo Johansson, James Jones, Tim Kientzle, Igor Kovalenko, Robert Lipe, Neal Murphy, Nigel Roles, John Santos, Ulli Schlueter, Steven M. Schultz, Jim Spath, Eduard Vopicka, Steve Walton, Jamie Watson, Joellen Windsor, and Martin Zinser. If you have any problems getting or using the new version, send email to kermit-support@columbia.edu. Frank da Cruz The Kermit Project Columbia University From: Frank da Cruz Subject: C-Kermit 5A(190) Replaces 5A(189) Date: 13 Nov 1994 19:38:59 GMT Keywords: C-Kermit, UNIX C-Kermit, VMS C-Kermit, OS/2 C-Kermit Keywords: Stratus VOS C-Kermit, AOS/VS C-Kermit, OS-9 C-Kermit Keywords: QNX C-Kermit, RESEND, Recovery As of 13 November 1994, C-Kermit 5A(190) is installed for real on kermit.columbia.edu, replacing the previous version, 5A(189) of 30 June 1993. This is the Kermit software for UNIX (all varieties), VMS, OS/2, Stratus VOS, AOS/VS, OS-9, the Macintosh, the Commodore Amiga, and the Atari ST. Highlights of the new version are: . File transfer recovery from point of failure (binary-mode transfers only): UNIX, VMS, OS/2, AOS/VS, VOS, Amiga. . Massive improvements in the OS/2 version. . Totally new and full-featured implementations for QNX and Stratus VOS. . Support for many new OS releases: Solaris 2.3, AIX 4.1, Unixware 1.1, new releases of Linux, {Free,Net,etc}BSD, OpenVMS 6.x, etc etc... . Auto-upload/download/configuration/anything-else via APC mechanism: UNIX, VMS, OS/2. . Numerous improvements in performance, script programming, client/server protocol, character sets, file transfer display, dialing, etc. C-Kermit 5A(190) is available via anonymous ftp from kermit.columbia.edu, directory kermit/f (NOT kermit/b), also known as kermit/c-kermit, and several other directories, as follows: kermit/f (= kermit/c-kermit) - FTP all files in text mode: Source code; Documentation files (.hlp, .nr, .upd, .bwr, .doc, etc); Initialization and script files (.ini, .kdd, .ksd, etc); ASCII-binaries except for VMS, UNIX, and OS/2: ckd190.uue - DG AOS/VS ckiker.boo - Amiga cklker.h68 - VOS 680x0 cklker.h86 - VOS i860 ckm190.hqx - Macintosh cksker.boo - Atari ST cksncp.boo - Atari ST (small version) kermit/bin - FTP all files in binary mode (except READ.ME): True binaries for UNIX, VMS, etc. See the READ.ME for details. kermit/vmshex - FTP in text mode: VMS C-Kermit binaries in hex format, together with the decoding program, ckvdeh.mar. See the READ.ME file for details. kermit/archives - FTP in binary mode unless otherwise indicated: cku190.tar.Z - Compressed tar of C-Kermit source code & other files. cku190.tar.gz - Gzip'd tar of C-Kermit source code & other files. ckvsrc.hex - (TEXT mode) VMS C-Kermit source BACKUP saveset. cko190.zip - OS/2 C-Kermit distribution diskette image. See kermit/f/ckc190.ann for a detailed list of changes in 5A(190). See kermit/f/cko190.ann for new features of the OS/2 version. For overviews of specific versions, see: kermit/f/ckaaaa.hlp - General C-Kermit overview kermit/f/ckdaaa.hlp - AOS/VS kermit/f/ckiaaa.hlp - Amiga kermit/f/cklaaa.hlp - Stratus VOS kermit/f/ckoaaa.hlp - OS/2 kermit/f/ckuaaa.hlp - UNIX kermit/f/ckvaaa.hlp - VMS The user manual, "Using C-Kermit", is recommended for everybody who wants to make serious use of C-Kermit and to get the most out of it; remember that manual sales are the primary source of support for the Kermit effort. Call +1 212-854-3703 to order, or send email to kermit@columbia.edu for further info. A German-language edition is also available. - Frank ------------------------------ Date: Thu Aug 25 17:50:57 1994 From: Frank da Cruz Subject: Announcing C-Kermit 5A(190) Beta Keywords: C-Kermit, UNIX C-Kermit, VMS C-Kermit, OS/2 C-Kermit Keywords: Stratus VOS C-Kermit, AOS/VS C-Kermit, OS-9 C-Kermit Keywords: QNX C-Kermit, RESEND, Recovery This is to announce a Beta testing period for C-Kermit 5A(190), a new release of C-Kermit communications software for for UNIX, VMS, OS/2, AOS/VS, Aegis, OS-9, the Commodore Amiga, the Apple Macintosh, and now also Stratus VOS. The major new feature of version 5A(190) is the ability to continue file transfers that failed. This feature is available in the C-Kermit versions for: . UNIX (all versions except 2.xBSD) . IBM OS/2 (the 16-bit and 32-bit versions) . Digital Equipment Corporation VMS . Data General AOS/VS . Stratus VOS . Commodore Amiga It works only for binary-mode transfers. For example, suppose you were transferring a huge binary file between UNIX C-Kermit and OS/2 C-Kermit over a slow dialup modem connection, and the phone call was disconnected. Now you can reconnect and continue the transfer where it left off. Suppose you were uploading or downloading a bunch of large ZIP files in binary mode and the same thing happened -- the new "resend" feature lets you reestablish the connection and "resend" the same files; the ones that were already transferred are not transferred again, the one that was partially transferred is continued where the transfer left off, and the ones that were not transferred are sent. All the commands are the same, except you tell C-Kermit to RESEND instead of to SEND. This feature will also be available in the next release of MS-DOS Kermit, 3.14, coming soon, and later maybe also other Kermit programs too. Other highlights of version 5A(190) include: . An entirely new C-Kermit implementation for Stratus VOS. . Execution of APC escape sequences while in CONNECT mode, just like MS-DOS Kermit 3.13, for "auto-download", "auto-upload", and auto-anything-else (UNIX, VMS, OS/2); . Macintosh Kermit now works under System 7.1 (on PowerMac, etc). . Automatic directory creation for incoming files (UNIX, VMS, OS/2, VOS) . Command retry and recall, typeahead now allowed in command mode. . Improved transaction logging. . MAJOR improvements in OS/2 C-Kermit (see below). . A complete, full-featured port of C-Kermit to QNX 4.2. . Numerous bug fixes and speedups in all departments, especially script programming. . Documentation now available in German. And here is a more-detailed list of the changes: NEW OR CHANGED COMMANDS ASK & ASKQ Now allow unquoted entry of backslash (\) and question mark (?) for more convenient processing of DOS-like file specifications. DIAL For the first time, DIAL is available in the Commodore Amiga version. FORWARD