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From: backman@interlan.UUCP (Larry Backman)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc
Subject: Re: standard interface
Message-ID: <509@interlan.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 7-Nov-87 09:21:58 EST
Article-I.D.: interlan.509
Posted: Sat Nov  7 09:21:58 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 10-Nov-87 04:24:16 EST
References: <wVYGO8y00UoJytM1ca@andrew.cmu.edu>
Reply-To: backman@interlan.UUCP (Larry Backman)
Organization: MICOM-Interlan, Boxborough, MA (1-800-LAN-TALK)
Lines: 45

In article <wVYGO8y00UoJytM1ca@andrew.cmu.edu> ddp+@ANDREW.CMU.EDU (Drew Daniel Perkins) writes:
>I've now talked with 3 of the major groups implementing TSR TCP/IP drivers
>for the PC.  All of them already have working TSR's in alpha/beta test, and
>
>However, all is not lost.  Two of the three have already begun work on a BSD
>socket interface, and the third group is interested in doing so.  It is my
>
>Therefore, I am proposing that we should develop a standard for a BSD socket
>interface on PC's.  The standard should probably be interrupt based. 
>
>I would also like to propose that we schedule a BOF at the TCP/IP conference
>in December.  Comments?
>


	Count me in for a BOF meeting.  Micom - Interlan is currently beta-
	testing a Netware/TCP gateway that has a BSD 4.2 Socket Interface.
	The Socket interface will become a product very soon.  We also are
	working on other DOS products based on the same socket interface.
	We've had to do some tricky things in DOS to make sockets work,
	other vendors probably have solved the same problems.  anyways,
	realistically, a socket standard under DOS may be a nice idea
	in concept, I would settle for a series of guidelines for 
	least common denominator functionality.  These would include
	the basics:
		socket	bind   connect accept  read write readv writev
		readmessage sendmessage .... you get the idea...

	Additional functionality could be provided via supersets

		signal  select

	and even more functionality could be provided by DOS tailored calls

		async_read	async_write .....etc.

	Now a socket program (TELNET for instance) can be quickly ported to
	the Least common denominator functions, and later enhanced by 
	changing base calls such as READ to tailored calls such as
	READ_ASYNC.  This allows a quick port followed by as much tuning
	as needed to make a nice DOS socket program.  Anyways, as I said
	count me in for the BOF meeting.


					Larry Backman