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From: djo@ptsfd.UUCP (Dan'l Oakes)
Newsgroups: net.lan,net.dcom,net.decus
Subject: Re: What is "ISO"?
Message-ID: <319@ptsfd.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Apr-86 21:04:17 EST
Article-I.D.: ptsfd.319
Posted: Thu Apr  3 21:04:17 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Apr-86 07:24:13 EST
References: <424@gould9.UUCP>
Reply-To: djo@ptsfd.UUCP (Dan'l Oakes)
Organization: Pacific Bell, San Francisco
Lines: 36
Keywords: TOPS, MAP, X.25, DECNET
Xref: linus net.lan:1223 net.dcom:1570 net.decus:306

Hey line eater, for all you do, this line's for you.

In article <424@gould9.UUCP> joel@gould9.UUCP (Joel West) writes:
>Could someone please help me out?  I'm familiar with TCP/IP, and, to 
>some degree, X.25.  I've even heard of MAP.  But what does it mean when 
>someone says they will be using the "ISO" protocol?

It means that they will be using some or all of the hundreds (literally) of 
protocols ISO and/or CCITT are suggesting now or have in the past six to ten 
years.  It also means that they want you to buy their product.

Find out what they mean.  A good default is (layer 1) rs-232-c/v.35; (layer
2) LAP B; (layer 3) X.25.  They may also support such things as X.75 but don't
bet on it.  Layers 4 and up will be their own protocols.

>What does it mean, "DECNET will conform to ISO?"

It means DEC wants you to buy DECNET.

>To get to the bottom line, is the standard well-defined enough that I can 
>write an "ISO driver" that will talk to an arbitrary box some point in the 
>future?  
>
No.  The standards for layers 4 and up are WAY up in the middle of the air (see
that wheel inside that other wheel?)

Dan'l Danehy-Oakes


"And as for all their tempting ideas,
 well, Hare didn't care.
 The lost spectacles were his own affair.
 And (after all) Hare did have a spare
 pair."

Jethro Tull