12-Aug-94 19:32:16-GMT,9710;000000000001 Received: from cuvmb.cc.columbia.edu by watsun.cc.columbia.edu with SMTP id AA17537 (5.65c+CU/IDA-1.4.4/HLK for ); Fri, 12 Aug 1994 15:32:13 -0400 Message-Id: <199408121932.AA17537@watsun.cc.columbia.edu> Received: from CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU by CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R1) with BSMTP id 6848; Fri, 12 Aug 94 15:30:38 EDT Received: from VM42.CSO.UIUC.EDU by CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU (Mailer R2.07) with BSMTP id 4091; Fri, 12 Aug 94 15:30:37 EDT Received: from VM42.CSO.UIUC.EDU (NJE origin LISTSERV@UIUCVM42) by VM42.CSO.UIUC.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 1429; Fri, 12 Aug 1994 19:31:34 +0000 Date: Fri, 12 Aug 1994 21:17:57 CEST Reply-To: Computer Protocol Discussion Sender: Computer Protocol Discussion From: Gianluca Attura Subject: Deltacom: Call For Comments X-To: protocol@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu To: Multiple recipients of list PROTOCOL DeltaCom: Call for Comments and Suggestions This documents is posted worldwide to present a new file transfer program and the protocol it uses and to obtain suggestions, proposals and ideas to complete the project before its release to the public. All the material presented here is Copyright (C) 1994 by ABCD Software. It's already registered and all the rights are reserved. Please answer to this message with any idea you think may be useful to the final development of this work. We post this paper for it's important to define all the aspects of the protocol before distributing it to create a complete - non beta - range of products and for it's difficult - and sometimes impossible - change later the protocol specifications without losing the backward compatibility. We are interested in any kind of suggestions. DeltaCom is a file transfer program based on the Delta Protocol we'll furnish for DOS, Unix and VMS systems. Here we analyze the protocol and the applications we built on it, so you can get the general idea of it. Delta is a bi-directional protocol which allows four classes of packets. Its architecture lets interface systems, allows multimedia capabilities, implements parallel sessions, creates gateways and encapsulates other protocols families. With Delta it's possible to define the same video interface on different systems, transferring the interface modules from the host in overlay forms, and upgrade the system files using auto- generated diff files. The entire Delta system is compliant to the OSI model. In this optic we decided to start the developing with a low level application, a file transfer system which covers the levels 1 & 2 of protocols with some parts of the 3rd level to add some features. This application is named DeltaCom, and will be released as Shareware in various forms: DOS : DeltaCom Lite DeltaCom Pro DeltaCom Net Unix : DeltaCom for SCO DeltaCom for Linux DeltaCom for AXP OSF/1 VMS : DeltaCom for AXP VMS Source : DeltaCom Source Edition for generic Unix/VMS This is a scheme of the capabilities of DeltaCom in its various editions: 1. Bi-Directional transfers. Each way (up and down) is fully customizable in packet sizing, character prefixing, data compression and every other protocol features. 2. On-line editing of the upload and download files lists - it's possible adding, removing, pausing, change order of the files in the queues. 3. Packet size from 64 bytes to 16 Kbytes (in 64 bytes increments) with statistical adjustment in conformity of the errors received. 4. De/Activable error correction using CRC16 or CRC32. 5. Fast control packets - the Shuttle Packets (TM) - traveling across large data packets to obtain fast responses to commands. 6. Protocol startup designed to automatically detect line parity - Parity AutoSense (TM) - able to determine the real parity even across gateway links. 7. 7bits paths full support for 8bits data. 8. Problematical characters detection - AutoPrefix Engine (TM). 9. Fully customizable macros (1 or more characters) to prefix. 10. High level data compression using LZW algorithm. 11. Configuration file with remote sites dedicated and fully configurable sections loaded after host recognition. 12. Chat mode during transfers. In DOS PRO and NET editions is included a Real Voice Chat to send vocal messages using an ordinary Sound Blaster (or compatible) audio card. 13. Language translation, using the ISO10646 as base character table and about 130 translation tables. The packages add a large number of features. In particular we have studied a new image file format to supply to the lacks of GIF, so now we introduce the DGF - Delta Graphic Format - a wide-bits (from 1 to 255) format which uses loseless data compression (instead of JPEG lossy one). This is the cross referenced table of the features offered: +--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | | DOS | DOS | DOS | Unix | SRC | | | Lite | PRO | NET | VMS | | +--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | Interfaces | | | | | | | Serial | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | Parallel | NO | YES | YES | NO | NO | | TCP/IP * | NO | NO | YES | NO** | NO | | IPX | NO | NO | YES | NO** | NO | | NetBIOS | NO | NO | YES | NO** | NO | | Fossil | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | BIOS | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | NASI | NO | NO | YES | NO | NO | | TTY | NO | NO | NO | YES | YES | | | | | | | | | Terminals | | | | | | | ANSI | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | VT100 | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | VT102 | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | VT220 | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | VT320 | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | | | | | | | | Virtual GUI | NO | YES | YES | NO | NO | | | | | | | | | Chat | | | | | | | Text | YES | YES | YES | YES | NO | | Real Voice | NO | YES | YES | NO | NO | | | | | | | | | External | | | | | | | Virus Scanning | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | AutoShell (TM) | YES | YES | YES | YES | NO | | AutoExtracting | YES | YES | YES | YES | NO | | | | | | | | | On-Line Viewing | | | | | | | GIF | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | DGF | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | | | | | | | | Disk Image | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | | | | | | | | Description | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | | | | | | | | | Hardware Detection | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | | | | | | | | | Customizable Log | YES | YES | YES | YES | NO | +--------------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ * Via Packet Drivers ** We're working on POSIX socket interface. The virtual GUI is a text interface using custom fonts and optionally SVGA capabilities, creating a windowed environment with palettes, graphic mouse in text mode and an innovative file requester. From this command environment you can edit the transfer queues, send remote commands, open as many multi-chat on LANs as you want. The DiskImage is a remote DiskCopy of entire disks. Remember Delta can send also entire directory trees. Description is the dispatch of file description from custom files, as the 4DOS/4OS2 DESCRIPT.ION. For the DOS environment we furnish a setup program which allows a large series of hardware tests (UARTs, Parallel Ports, Networks Adapters, Video Boards, Modem testing, CPU/NPU detection (about 30 chips) and Disk Drives support (recognizes all kind of physical, logical or device driven disk). Windows, OS/2 and DesqView DOS shells are supported with automatic time slicing. It's also ready the cryptography of transmitted data, using private and public (non RSA) algorithm. Ok, that's all. What you have read is ready to be posted on the principal networks, but now, before do it, we need to know what do you think, what we missed and what do you'd like we add to DeltaCom. ------------------------------ Eagle --------------------------------- _____ . _____ CompuServe : 100112,3521 \__ \O/ __/ Internet : mc8114@mclink.it BIX : gattura \__ __/ FidoNet : 2:335/336.11 GEnie : G.ATTURA /_\ Channel 1 : Gianluca Attura