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Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!decvax!harpo!eagle!hou5h!hou5a!hou5d!hogpc!drux3!ihnp4!fortune!wall
From: wall@fortune.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.dcom
Subject: RS232 handshaking
Message-ID: <1706@fortune.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Nov-83 09:29:44 EST
Article-I.D.: fortune.1706
Posted: Thu Nov  3 09:29:44 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 6-Nov-83 16:24:04 EST
Organization: Fortune Systems, Redwood City, CA
Lines: 19

DTR is most certainly a handshake signal, and just as valid a
one as CTS. No one is going to argue that CD (or DCD as most 
people refer to it) has anything to do with handshake. Where 
was I? Oh, yes; it is strictly a matter of perspective. If you
are a terminal (DTE for you fanatics) and you cannot process the
commands being sent to you, then you are  -supposed- to use
DTR to tell the host that you are no longer able to accept further
commands. Admittedly, this is for direct connect situations, but
80% of all dcom still is direct connect. CTS hanshake is valid 
fron the other direction, the host may limit input from a remote
device. Now, many systems/terminals use software handshakes, but
these have their drawbacks; and as a result of these limitations
offen force the receiving device to have a much larger buffer
than is absolutely necessary (especially painful in terminals).
of course any type of Null modem or null terminal interconnect
causes a whole new set of problems....

Sorry to rant and rave, but I just went through all this,
						-Jim