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From: GMW@psuvm.BITNET
Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm
Subject: Re: Re: KERMIT is available
Message-ID: <1822GMW@psuvm>
Date: Wed, 5-Jun-85 16:23:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: psuvm.1822GMW
Posted: Wed Jun  5 16:23:34 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Jun-85 02:50:54 EDT
References: <1792GMW@psuvm> <2611@ihuxf.UUCP>
Lines: 38


     From "The Kermit File Transfer Protocol", Columbia University Center
for Computing Activities:
     
          KERMIT is a protocol for transferring sequential files
          between computers of all sizes over ordinary asynchronous
          telecommunication lines using packets, checksums, and
          retransmission to promote data integrity.  KERMIT is
          non-proprietary, thoroughly documented, well tested, and
          in wide use.
     
     Kermit programs are ones which implement the Kermit protocol.
Essentially, they allow data to be transferred between any machines while
achieving high immunity to such environmental factors as line noise, line
outages, and different processing speeds of the two machines.  This is
accomplished by bundling data into 'packets', which include a sync marker,
packet number for detecting lost packets, packet length, the actual data,
and a checksum for verifying the correctness of the data.  The receiving
Kermit unbundles the packets and verifies the packet number, length, and
checksum.  If an error is detected, the receiving Kermit sends a message
to the sending Kermit requesting that the bad packet be resent.  If no
errors are detected, an acknowledgement is sent to the sending Kermit for
that packet, and the next packet is sent.
     
     Kermits are available for most mainframes, minis, and micros.  Thus,
you can transfer files from your 64 to a VAX, Macintosh, or Cray with the
same amount of effort.  Kermit was conceived and written by Frank da Cruz
at Columbia University.  (Bless you, Frank.)  It is available free to any
individual or institution, except for explicitly commercial purposes.  It
also comes with a plea that it be used "only for peaceful and benevolent
purposes".
     
     
George M. Weaver
Penn State Astronomy Dept.
GMW at PSUVM.BITNET
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