Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!art100
From: ART100@psuvm.psu.edu (Andy Tefft)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Kermit
Message-ID: <91007.230503ART100@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: 8 Jan 91 04:05:03 GMT
References: <9101080151.AA22226@alw.nih.gov>
Organization: Penn State University
Lines: 26

In article <9101080151.AA22226@alw.nih.gov>, JDA@CU.NIH.GOV ("Doug Ashbrook")
says:
>
>> I was wondering if there is any way to set the packet length any bigger than
>> $FA, 250 bytes, on Kermit. I got the late4st version, 3.87, and would like
>
>250 is the maximum for packet length.  I use the XMODEM protocol with
>Kermit 3.87 and have not had any problems.

The reason for the 250 byte packet limit is because the 16-bit
arithmetic might slow down the transfer more than the overhead
decrease would speed it up. Notice I said "might." I keep hoping
Ted will at least try it for some timing...

I personally don't think the 16-bit stuff will be as bad as calculating those
percentages and printing the decimal numbers instead of hex must have
been :-)

By the way, xmodem protocol often doesn't work with mainframe
transfers because of the variety of different data paths you can
have. Often only 7 bits are used, while xmodem requires 8; sometimes
xmodem's handshaking characters get swallowed by terminal servers
etc. Zmodem is supposed to be able to take care of that problem
but we all know the state of zmodem and the apple //. Kermit is
nice and reliable, if you can stand the slowness. I used to set up
large batches and download while I was going to be out.