Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!cmcl2!nrl-cmf!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!COD.NOSC.MIL!neerma
From: neerma@COD.NOSC.MIL (Merle A. Neer)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Need help with UNIX tcp
Message-ID: <8802181625.AA27348@cod.nosc.mil>
Date: 18 Feb 88 16:25:33 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 32

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It just occurred to me that this list may be the best
place to go for help with a problem we have been
struggling with for years.  We have been developing
client/server processes on tcp for going on ten years
and have had the unfortunate experience of having to
sometimes do it on UNIX.  The problem simply stated is
this: the user process cannot get the status of its
tcp connections from UNIX.

Yeah, we know about SIGPIPE but it only works sometimes.

What I'm really concerned about is that so many other
implementations of tcp seem to be derived directly from
the UNIX bsd versions of tcp.  They in turn inherit the
deep dark mysteriousness of the status of connects.

Have any UNIX guru-types ever considered offering a
'status(myconnect)' call?  We'll gladly pay for one.
Or even just a 'signal(YOURCONNECTISBOGUS,letmeknow)'
would be nice?

I would like also to hear from other unfortunate souls
that have to program on UNIX tcp to see how they have
dealt with this problem.

Yes, we have worshipped at the UNIX altar long enough to
deserve some secrets. Just a few.

Merle Neer
neerma@nosc
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