Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!ll-xn!oberon!pollux.usc.edu!papa
From: papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: WXModem and Plink ??
Message-ID: <7377@oberon.USC.EDU>
Date: 3 Mar 88 16:38:16 GMT
References: <1130@raybed2.UUCP>
Sender: news@oberon.USC.EDU
Reply-To: papa@pollux.usc.edu (Marco Papa)
Organization: Felsina Software, Los Angeles, CA
Lines: 33
Keywords: Plink Amiga World

In article <1130@raybed2.UUCP> lah@raybed2.UUCP (LANCE HOLMES) writes:
>In the April issue of Amiga World there is an artical that talks about
>commercial networks.  In the artical they mention that on Plink you can
>use WXmodem protocol for downloading.  I was wondering if this is true.
>I've used Plink at 1200 baud and only found Xmodem or ASCII 
>to be the options offered.

It is true.  WXMODEM was developed for PLINK I believe by Peter Boswell.
Comm 1.4 (I don't recall whether this is PD or shareware) supports WXMODEM.
It has been available at least from June 1986 (that's the date of the WXMODEM
manual I have).  The problem is that it is currently supported ONLY by PLINK,
and no other service or BBSs.  WXMODEM stands for Windowed XMODEM.  Quickly,
it tries to obtain faster throughput by acknowkedging only some of the packets,
and it tries to overcome propagation delays over networks, flow control 
problems, and error recovery.  Unfortunately for fans of WXMODEM, most
networks and BBS systems are adopting Chuck Forsberg's ZMODEM, which offers
even faster throughput, file size/date transmission, recovery of unterrupted
transmission and a host of other options.  BIX just installed it, and most 
BBSs support it (BBS-PS, OPUS, etc...).  That is one of the reasons we decided 
to go with ZMODEM instead of WXMODEM for A-Talk III.

>I am also a little confused about the different protocols.  What is the 
>difference between Xmodem and WXmodem and is WXmodem the same as Xmodem-CRC.

Download a copy of the document "Xmodem, CRC Xmodem, Wxmodem -- File Transfer
Protocols" available on PLINK (I haven't logged in on PLINK in quite a while so
I don't recall the name of the file).

>If WXmodem is available on Plink, can some one tell me how it is used and
>is the diffenence worth it.

Again, instructions are on PLINK.  I hope this helps.

-- Marco