Date: Thu, 17 Mar 88 14:17:42 PST
From: JAFW801%CALSTATE.BITNET@CUVMA.COLUMBIA.EDU  (Jack Bryans)
Subject: Announcing Kermit 2.30 for the RMX86 and RMX286 Operating System
Keywords: iRMX86, iRMX286, Intel RMX
Xref: RMX, see Intel

This is to announce version 2.30 of Kermit for both the iRMX86 and iRMX286
Operating Systems.  It is the first release for iRMX286 and the first since
late 1985's version 2.26 for iRMX86.

This is the same program, ported to the RMX's, as the Jan. 8,1988 release of
MS-Kermit, version 2.30, for the IBM PC, which is probably the most widely
used and richest Kermit implementation.  A DOS emulator provides enough of
the DOS environment to allow the essentially unchanged MS-Kermit code to run
under both of the RMX Operating Systems.  For a summary of changes on the
MS-Kermit end, see the KERMSRV files MS*.UPD.

From the RMX end, this version includes support for wild cards, full RMX
paths and file names, and removes restrictions on the use of RUN.  You can
now RUN AEDIT from within Kermit.

As a fortuitous fallout to wild card implementation, a list of file names may
be used wherever Kermit accepts a wild card file specification, as long as
all files in the list are in the current default directory.  For example:

SEND READ.ME.FIRST,*X*.A*,*.OBJ,ETC.ETC

works.  Try to say that in DOS!  Similarly, when Kermit is in SERVER mode, it
will respond to a GET file-name-list from the local Kermit.

The SET and SHOW KEY commands have been added.

Configuration has been completely redone, with its implementation separated
from the Kermit initialization file.  To avoid confusion with the previous
version, the .ini file name has been changed to KERMIT.INI.  A good dozen
configuration options are available, reducing the need to obtain the source
code.

Serial ports have been increased to ten, with all requirements and
restrictions on device attachment removed.  Additionally, you can ping-pong
between serial communication ports and the port your terminal (in this case,
presumably, a PC) is attached to, with the file transfer display
automatically set to QUIET mode (necessary for one port operation) and reset
to its previous mode when you select another port.

Performance has been improved in a number of areas, especially in connect
mode.  Improved serial device drivers scheduled for release in forthcoming OS
updates from Intel (RMX286, Release 2, Updates 1 and 2, and RMX86, Release 8)
will improve Kermit performance significantly on both OS's, especially on
faster systems.

A number of timing problems peculiar to '386 based systems have been cleared
up in the past month.  Feedback from '386 beta testers indicates performance
more than impressive enough to make 8086 users, appropriately, green with
envy.

The following files constitute this release:

MSVRMX.BOO  BOO-encoded executable Kermit for RMX86
MSVRX2.BOO  BOO-encoded executable Kermit for RMX286

MSVRMX.DOC  Documentation for both OS's

MSVRMX.HLP  How to build Kermit for either OS from source code
MSVRMX.CSD  The edit pass SUBMIT file.  \ Converts MSSDEF.H & MSS*.ASM
MSVRMX.MAC  The edit pass macro file.   / to MSSDEF.H86 & MSS*.A86
MSURMX.A86  Source code for the keyboard support module for RMX
MSXRMX.A86  Source code for the traditional "X" module for RMX
MSZRMX.A86  Source code for the DOS emulator and Kermit driver
MSVRMX.P86  Source code for the wild card implementing auxiliary command, WC

Note that all files but the enBOOed executables apply to both OS's.  The edit
pass generates submit files for conditional assembly and for linking or
binding the object modules to produce an executable for either OS.

The MS-Kermit files, MSKERM.DOC, MSKERM.HLP, and MSKERM.BWR provide primary
documentation for all version 2.30's.

Acknowledgments

Joe Doupnik of Utah State University, who has been responsible for MS-Kermit
starting with version 2.29, was most accommodative in making changes to the
DOS code to simplify things for the RMX portings.

Among the beta testers, Steve Cox of Milliken Research Corp., Chris Jamison
of Ransburg Corp., and especially Chris Vickery of Queens College, NY,
provided valuable feedback.  Henning Pangels of Carnegie-Mellon University's
Robotics Institute showed up in the nick of time via e-mail, innocently
inquiring if there was an RMX286 Kermit he could try out on his brand new
'386.  His response to being pressed into guinea pig duty is appreciated.

Mark Aaldering of Intel made the port to RMX286 possible.  Thanks also to
Intel's Paul Cohen, Rick Gerber, and Tom Willis, and, with apologies, to
those overlooked.