Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!bobmon
From: bobmon@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (RAMontante)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: ZMODEM
Summary: The protocol is public domain, yes it is
Keywords: zmodem protocol
Message-ID: <18245@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>
Date: 5 Mar 89 23:58:37 GMT
Reply-To: bobmon@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (RAMontante)
Organization: malkaryotic
Lines: 31


There has been some question about the status of the zmodem file transfer
protocol (not to be confused with any program implementing it!).  Let me
reprint Chuck Forsberg's own statements, from his zmodem.doc description.

[ start quote ]

  ZMODEM was developed for the public domain under a Telenet contract.  The
  ZMODEM protocol descriptions and the Unix rz/sz program source code are
  public domain.  No licensing, trademark, or copyright restrictions apply
  to the use of the protocol, the Unix rz/sz source code and the ZMODEM
  name.


  4.  EVOLUTION OF ZMODEM

  In early 1986, Telenet funded a project to develop an improved public
  domain application to application file transfer protocol.  This protocol
  would alleviate the throughput problems network customers were
  experiencing with XMODEM and Kermit file transfers.

[ end quote ]

I have to admit that it isn't exactly EASY to find this -- Forsberg does get
kind of prolix.  I think I got it as part of the dsz package, but you have to
read 7 pages of discussion about the limitations of xmodem and ymodem before
getting to this stuff on zmodem.  Fascinating for trivia buffs.
-- 
Those who do not understand MSDOS are  | Bob Montante (bobmon@cs.indiana.edu)
condemned to write glowingly of it in  | Computer Science Department
slick, short-lived magazines.          | Indiana University, Bloomington IN