Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!unmvax!ariel!sdowdy
From: sdowdy@ariel.unm.edu (Stephen Dowdy)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
Subject: Re: VMS-ULTRIX CONNECTION UCX 1.2 pros/cons
Message-ID: <2663@ariel.unm.edu>
Date: 8 May 90 07:52:44 GMT
References: <1990May5.182539.709@urz.unibas.ch> <75@ultrix.uhasun.hartford.edu> <1990May6.110327.710@urz.unibas.ch>
Reply-To: sdowdy@ariel.unm.edu (Stephen Dowdy)
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
Lines: 45

In article <1990May6.110327.710@urz.unibas.ch> doelz@urz.unibas.ch writes:
)In article <75@ultrix.uhasun.hartford.edu>, lindh@uhasun.hartford.edu (Andrew Lindh) writes:
)> In article <1990May5.182539.709@urz.unibas.ch>, doelz@urz.unibas.ch writes:
)>> DEC released the Ultrix connection product UCX V 1.2 recently. 
)>> This is the first chance to talk to UNIX with a DEC product. 
...
)> It is not very good.....AND very hard to program in. For VAX news I prefer
)> to use NNTP over DECnet. DEC's first try a TCP/IP is not very good.
)> It has A LOT of problems. I have writen FINGER, SMTP, and TELNET
(for us TELNET sessions work MUCH better than CMU, and that is all we need)

)> just for fun...It was not easy. DEC does not provide DNS or default
)> routing......Just static routing and host tables.

The bit about default routing is not quite correct...
	UCX> Set Route /Addr=0.0.0.0/Gateway=router-node.domain/Network

HOWEVER, it doesn't allow you to use any old address.  The address must
be in the table.  But it will route via the above router.

)> I am a UNIX prgrammer....I don't like QIO. This is not like standard
)> TCP/IP programming. I found programming Sunlink DNI much easier.

I personally believe QIOs are fabumundo as they make the I/O subsystem
behave in a "saner" manner (however, such things do increase complexity)
However, VAXC has access to std unix socket calls.  You may need to upgrade
to VAXC V3.x (?) (or figure out how to link with the UCX$whateverSHR .EXE,
and how to call it)
 
)> Note: I have heard that the next release will be MUCH better.
)Are we talking about 1.3 or which release ? Shipping date? 

Yes, late summer/fall
...
)Me too. I am *very* interested in SMTP. Is that code available? 

For SMTP support for VMS using UCX, check out "MX" by Matt Madison at
RPI (anonymous ftp from vms.ecx.rpi.edu)  I have been running it for
some time and it seems stable now (works at my site.  But then individual 
tcp/ip implementations are so wishy washy, and your site may ve weird)
(Mucho thanks to Matt for putting this out.  It's quite nicely done)
(read the information.  MX does many things you may be interested in
besides interface using UCX SMTP)

--stephen