Date: Tue, 27 Jun 89 15:33:06 EDT From: Paul Placeway Subject: Announcing Release 0.97(57) of Macintosh Kermit Keywords: MacKermit 0.97(57), MacBinary, Macintosh Kermit Xref: Apple Macintosh, See Macintosh The new Macintosh Kermit, version 0.97(57), is ready for testing. Included are all the ckm*.* sources, a .hqx file which can be converted into the MacKermit application using BinHex Version 4, and two short doc files, (ckmvt1.doc and ckmker.hlp). All of this is built on top of C-Kermit 4F(080), with my bug fixes in the ckc files (it even builds a wart to use). I have personally tested it on a 512k (not e) running System 1.1, a Lisa running MacWorks 3.0, Mac Pluses running System 2.0 through 6.0.3 and a Mac II running 6.0.2; I am told it works on SE and SE30 machines also (which is not really a supprise). Basically the only thing it doesn't work on (for sure) is an old 128k "Classic" Mac (if I had one here I could probably make it work there too). Anyone who is doing work on Mac Kermit should get a copy of the new sources as soon as they can; I have changed some things around, especially the terminal emulator internals. Code based on 0.9(40) may or may not be easy to work into the new sources. New additions to the program since the 0.9(40) release in May 1988 include: Vertically sizeable terminal emulation window. Scroll back. Faster file transfer. (hopefully) Correct binary transfer code. MacBinary format transfers. Better keyboard handling. Partial emulation of a DEC VT300-Series terminal, including support for ISO 646 National Replacement Character sets, and Latin Alphabet 1. More keyboard macros have been added to better handle the vt100 keyboard and normal/application mode stuff: \keypad0 -- \keypad9 \keypad, \keypad. \keypad- \pf1-4 \leftarrow \rightarrow \uparrow \downarrow The keypad comes configured for a Plus; if you have an ADB machine, you will have to remap the + and - keys, and possibly =, /, and * to be pf2-4. Bugs and limitations still outstanding: Running in inverted screen mode doesn't work. The option key is still a dead key for the usual characters (e, u, etc.) Parts of the Edit menu should be greyed out when they do not apply. Cut and Paste do not deal with the real Scrapbook (yet). There still isn't a Tektronix graphics terminal emulator built-in. It is possible to confuse the selection by draging past the top of the window, waiting, and dragging down past the end of the window. Other than these, if you find a problem please send mail to Info-Kermit@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (on the Internet), or KERMIT@CUVMA on BITNET. Please include Kermit version number, a discription of the hardware, the System version number, and if possible a "repeat-by". Happy Kermiting, Paul Plaeway, MacKermit coordinator paul@cis.ohio-state.edu [Ed. - Many thanks, Paul! The new files have been placed in the kermit/test directory on watsun and cunixc, and in the T: area of BITNET KERMSRV on CUVMA. This release has to be considered a test release because it is based on a test version of C-Kermit, and also because there is not yet a new manual. Mac Kermit users, please take a copy, try it out, and report bugs to Info-Kermit as Paul asks.] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Aug 89 16:46:26 EDT From: Paul Placeway Subject: New Test Release of Mac Kermit Keywords: Macintosh Kermit New sources for Mac Kermit 0.98(62), compilable with the 4F(095) C-Kermit files are now available, along with an up-to-date CKMKER.HQX file, which can be decoded into the working Mac Kermit application using BinHex V4. This version fixes the font assignment problems, makes mouse->arrow keys work again, and does statistics on file transfer right. It also is better about keys when running under System 4.2 or better (specifically, it disables dead-keys and doesn't strip off shifting when unmodifying keys). --Paul [Ed. - Thanks Paul! The new files have relaced the old ones in kermit/test/ckm*.* on watsun, and in the T: area of BITNET KERMSRV on CUVMA. Please send reports and comments to Info-Kermit@watsun.] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Sep 1991 13:00:00 EDT From: Christine M Gianone Subject: Mac Kermit Questions and Answers Keywords: Mac Kermit I have had literally thousands of inquiries about Mac Kermit in recent months, many more than I can answer personally. Let me try to summarize the situation very briefly for everybody. Q: Why doesn't (cut and paste, printing, etc etc etc etc etc) work in 0.97(57), 0.98(63), 0.99(91), etc etc etc? Why doesn't Mac Kermit work right under System 7? Why are the fonts messed up? Why isn't parity restored when I launch from a settings file? Why do settings files created by different releases of Mac Kermit not call up the appropriate release when I open them? Why are the key mappings for certain keys like Ctrl-@ messed up? How do I type international characters? Why doesn't flow control work? Why does Mac Kermit always hang up when I quit? etc etc. A: The last official release of Mac Kermit was 0.9(40). Any version with a higher number is a test release, to be used at your own risk. The new Mac OS, System 7, came out after 0.9(40) and seems to have broken several of Mac Kermit's features. Q: When will we see a new release of Mac Kermit? A: Soon, I hope. Our previous Macintosh volunteer programmer, Paul Placeway, has retired from Mac Kermit development after several years of hard work and invaluable contributions. Several new developers have recently come forward, but it will take some time to come up with a new release that has the features you want, works with a wide range of Macintosh models, keyboards, and systems, and is well documented. In the meantime, we have a very comprehensive list of bugs to correct and features to add, and this work is in progress. Watch Info-Kermit for announcements of test releases. ------------------------------ Date: 11 Dec 1991 12:48:00 EST From: Christine M. Gianone Subject: New Mac Kermit Prerelease Available for Testing Keywords: Macintosh Kermit There have been thousands of complaints and queries about Macintosh Kermit in recent months. It is simply not possible to answer them. Instead, I am making this announcement. Development of a new release of Mac Kermit is underway. It is FAR FROM COMPLETE. It is proceeding in stages, because different volunteers at different sites in different countries are working on it in their spare time, so the schedule is not firm. Stage 1 of the development effort has produced a version that might be of use to some of you until we release a more complete version. The result is version 0.99(91)+UTexas(9)+C-Kermit 5A(172). There is NO DOCUMENTATION beyond what you'll find in this message. All the standard disclaimers apply: USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK, etc. It seems to work under System 7 and on newer Mac models, except in a couple known cases, the most notable being when "Suitcase" is loaded. Its behavior on older Mac models (68000 based and/or small memory and/or Systems prior to 6.0) is unknown. Here is a brief list of the major new features of this "non-release". All are subject to change. . Integration with a recent edit of C-Kermit 5A. The main feature is sliding window packet protocol for increased file transfer efficiency, plus the ability to use very long packets (up to about 9000 bytes). There's also a new "file transfer thermometer". . An interactive command parser (the same as in C-Kermit 5A), in addition to the customary menus, plus the ability to execute commands from a command file. Thus Mac Kermit now has a script programming language, a DIAL command, etc. The script programming language is very similar to MS-DOS Kermit's. . A "Window" menu to let you switch among the terminal emulation, command parser, general text editing, and server response windows, with cutting and pasting between windows, etc. Command files can be created in text editing windows and executed, saved, etc. . Redesigned menus (the design is nowhere near complete, and definitely will change). . Translation between the Mac Quickdraw character set and ISO 8859-1 Latin Alphabet 1 during file transfer (presently available only via SET commands in the Command Window). Many of the new features might be buggy or incompletely implemented. The basic functionality -- text, binary, and macbinary file transfers, VT320 emulation, etc -- seem to be fairly solid. This NON-RELEASE version is available on the Internet as: kermit/test/ckmut9.hqx on watsun.cc.columbia.edu via anonymous ftp (text) and on BITNET/EARN as: T:CKMUT9.HQX from KERMSRV@CUVMA.BITNET It's about 400K long. Use BinHex version 4.0 to decode the HQX file into the Macintosh Kermit application. Please send reports, suggestions, and (most important) offers to help out with the development to: Frank da Cruz fdc@watsun.cc.columbia.edu A few points about this program, to forestall hundreds of e-mail messages: 1. The VT100 font is usable only in 9-point size. Select Courier from Mac Kermit's new Font menu if you want to use a larger size. 2. The VT100 font's code points for accented characters are incompatible with other Mac fonts, like Courier. VT100 line- and box-drawing characters don't work in any but the VT100 font. 3. Volunteers are needed to work on the VT100 font, including design, rearrangement of the code points, externalization in a variety of point sizes, etc, so it is visible to keycaps, etc etc. Please contact Frank if you're interested in taking on this task. 4. Key mapping has not been tackled in this version. Improvements will come, hopefully, in a forthcoming test release. 5. Some improvements have been made in the area of printing, but much more remains to be done. Remember, this announcement is being made only to tide over those who simply cannot find a version of Mac Kermit that runs satisfactorily on their system. Feel free to send in bug reports, but don't expect them to be answered. They will be collected, collated, and acted upon during the development process. ------------------------------