June 1985: As contributions of Kermit programs continue to arrive, the Kermit distribution area grows larger and larger. This week, the collection finally grew so large that it would not fit on a 1600bpi labeled tape. The past several days have been spent reorganizing the entire Kermit distribution operation. The biggest change is that there are now two major Kermit distribution areas, which correspond to two Kermit distribution tapes (Tape A and Tape B). Area/Tape B contains all the mainframe and minicomputer ("host") implementations; Area/Tape A contains everything else -- the microcomputer (PC, workstation) implementations, the manuals, and miscellany. Splitting up the files this way allows room for a good amount of growth, and also lets several versions (notably the U of Toronto Pascal Kermits for RT-11 and VAX/VMS) be resurrected from the "Kermit-Extra" area. Even though the files have been split into two directories, they still all have (and must have) UNIQUE PREFIXES. No files with the same prefix will appear in more than one directory (except the new AA files, about which see below). Many files have been renamed in a more sensible way. Previously, all the "bureaucratic" files like VERSIONS.DOC, 00README.TXT, etc, were mixed in with all the other files. Now (in addition to being rewritten), they have new names, all starting with AA. In fact, all filenames now start with a letter, since it turns out that some systems require that. Old New What (none) AAAREAD.ME Explains what all the AA files are. 00README.TXT AATAPE.HLP Talks about tapes (replaces ANSITAPE, OSSLTAPE) (none) AANETW.HLP Instructions for getting Kermit via network 00README.TXT AAFILES.HLP Explains what the Kermit files are CURRENT.DOC AAVNEW.HLP List of current versions, chronological VERSIONS.DOC AAVSYS.HLP List of current versions, alphabetical by system (none) AAWAIT.HLP List of versions we're waiting for FLYER.DOC AAXFLY.DOC Flyer (now also includes order form) COMMER.DOC AAXCOM.DOC Commercial policy, only the name has been changed KLTR.TEX AAKLTR.TEX Cover letter, rewritten The files that used to be VERSIONS.DOC and CURRENT.DOC been combined into AAVERS.HLP. This is a list of versions, one on each line, showing the following information: Prefix, Operating Program Program Released Tape Machine System Language Version yy/mm/dd Contributor for example: CMS B IBM 370 Series VM/CMS Assembler 2.01 85/05/20 Columbia U Whenever a new version is installed, this file is updated and then sorted several different ways to produce the following files: AAVNEW.HLP -- Listed in reverse chronological order of release date AAVOPS.HLP -- Listed alphabetically by operating system only AAVPFX.HLP -- Listed alphabetically by prefix, regardless of tape AAVSYS.HLP -- Listed alphabetically by machine and operating system AAVTAP.HLP -- Listed by tape (A or B), then alphabetically by file prefix The AA*.* files will appear in both Kermit distribution areas/tapes. A glance at the appropriate file will make it easy to answer questions like "Is there a Kermit for xxx?", or "Has there been a new release of Kermit for xxx since yyy?", or "What is the prefix for zzz Kermit?", or "What tape is such-and-such a Kermit on?" Some Kermit program files were renamed: Old New 20KERMIT K20MIT (needed to start with a letter) 170KERMIT CDCKER " 800KER LUXKER " 86KERMIT C86KER " CMSKERMIT CMSKER (so Scribe could deal with the .MSS better) Those who use the Internet, CCnet, or BITnet to get Kermit files from Columbia should read KER:AANETW.HLP for details about network access. The BITnet area (KERMSRV@CUVMA) is not yet reorganized -- that will take another week or two. Those who use FTP or NFT to get files from CU20B should notice no difference in the procedure, since the "logical name" KER: has been redefined to include the new area in its search path; the fact that no prefix (except AA) appears in more than one area should allow network file transfer to work as before, except when you try to get ALL the Kermit files (would anybody really do that?) -- if you tried to "MULTIPLE GET KER:*.*", you would wind up with only the files from area A. If you need to refer to the B area explicitly, its logical name is K2:, as in "MULTIPLE GET K2:*.*". And a minor complication -- Macintosh Kermit is part of the CK*.* files, which are on Tape B. But since the Mac is a micro, people will be upset if they order the "micros" tape (A) and there's no Mac Kermit on it. So just the .HQX files for CKMKER and CKMKEY have copies KER:, along with the CKMKER.DOC file. However... since these files were also in K2:, their names have to be something that doesn't start with CK; otherwise, people who tried to FTP CK*.* would only get those three files and nothing else (because DEC-20 logical names don't step). So they are called KER:MCKER and MCKEY... October 1986: Same deal, but now 3 tapes. A is still micros, B is still mainframes, C is "esoterica" (less popular versions, duplicate versions, big documents, mail archives, etc). July 1987 There are now 5 tapes. A is popular micros, B is popular minis and mainframes, C is "esoterica", less popular micro versions, D is "esoterica", less popular mini and mainframe versions, and E is on-line documentation and text fromatter source for the Kermit User Guide, Kermit Protocol Manual, Byte article, big documents and mail archives.