Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!Will From: Will@cup.portal.com (Will E Estes) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip Subject: Are Commercial TCPs Berkeley Code Or Custom? Message-ID: <32140@cup.portal.com> Date: 27 Jul 90 17:57:33 GMT Organization: The Portal System (TM) Lines: 12 Are most of the commercial TCP/IPs sold by companies like Wollongong, Excelan, and FTP software written from scratch, or is the code basically just modified Berkeley code? Why is it so difficult to write a good TCP/IP? I am amazed that there are companies whose entire R&D seems to center around writing the TCP/IP protocol and supporting applications. Is it really that difficult? You would think that if you started with the Berkeley stuff it wouldn't be that difficult to improve it, or do legal restrictions prevent you from using the Berkeley stuff as a base? (You would think that it would be pretty easy to license the Berkeley code from the owner if it isn't public domain already....) Will Estes (sun!portal!cup.portal.com!Will)