Columbia Kermit/kermit.zip/newsgroups/misc.19990725-20000114/[e-mail] _Tue Dec 7 21:04:30 1999.msg

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From: [e-mail] (Frank da Cruz)
Subject: C-Kermit 7.0 Beta.11 Ready for Testing
Date: 8 Dec 1999 01:56:44 GMT
Organization: Columbia University
Message-ID: <82kdss$3uj$[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]


C-Kermit 7.0 Beta.11 is installed at:

  http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/ck70.html

and is ready for testing.  It was an long time coming because we REALLY
want this one to be the final Beta before release.  The biggest additions
are:

 . New "Open Source Friendly" license.
 . Pseudoterminal control (UNIX only) for SSH and tn3270 connections, etc.
 . SSL/TLS security (USA and Canada only).
 . HTTP client commands.

And here is what else is new (the top items in each category are the most
significant):

Internet Kermit Service Daemon:
 . Now available in Kermit 95 (but not released yet).
 . IKSD active-sessions database and display module.
 . Streamlined IKSD server-mode operation.
 . Additional management controls.
 . LOGIN and LOGOUT commands added to client for logging into IKSD.

Security (USA and Canada only):
 . Kerberos V support now compatible with MIT Version 1.1 release.
 . Secure Remote Password support now compatible with release 1.5.0.
 . SSL/TLS support finalized (details below)

Character sets:
 , New support for KOI8-R and KOI8-U as file and terminal character-set.
 . Full conversion between Japanese character sets and Unicode.
 . Better detection of invalid UTF-8 sequences.
 . Fixed some translations that were broken since last July.
 . Corrected ISO-8859-7/Unicode (Greek) mappings.

File Transfer:
 . SEND /ARRAY:\&a[] transfers the contents of an array.
 . Autodownload "pass-through" problem fixed.
 . Big performance improvements on certain kinds of connections.
 . Fixed SEND /TEXT and SEND /BINARY to work as documented.
 . Fixed server side of GET /RECURSIVE to not always switch into binary mode.
 . Explicit control for VMS file version numbers.
 . RELIABLE and CLEARCHANNEL status added to STATISTICS display.
 . ROBUST macro now also sets RELIABLE and CLEARCHANNEL appropriately.
 . SET CLEARCHANNEL AUTO fixed.
 . SET F-ACK-PATH { ON,OFF } for adjusting to MUMPS Kermit.
 . Avoidance of creation of multiple backup suffixes when receiving.
 . Stats for streaming downloads fixed.
 . Better filename transformation eliminates '.' in directory segments.
 . TRANSMIT completion status and error messages fixed.

Client/Server:
 . REMOTE SET FILE CHARACTER-SET <name> added.
 . REMOTE commands can now be longer than 84 characters.
 . Fix to long-standing problem in which REMOTE commands might print garbage.
 . Certain REMOTE commands that were not setting SUCCESS on success now do.

Scripting:
 . The INPUT command can now match regular expressions (patterns).
 . New ON_CLOSE macro traps connection loss.
 . New ON_OPEN macro traps connection establishment.
 . WAIT <time> FILE <filename> <event> waits for a file event.
 . New "compact substring" notation.
 . COPY /TOB64 and /FROMB64 to do Base-64 conversion.
 . Relaxed & more-consistent parsing of IF-ELSE, FOR, and SWITCH statements.
 . FOPEN /APPEND fixed to work also for nonexistent files.
 . \v(ctty) name of job's controllign terminal.
 . \v(filename) behavior more consistent.
 . \v(kbchar) keyboard character that interrupted PAUSE, SLEEP, WAIT...
 . \fstripb(s) strips enclosing braces, brackets, or parens from s.
 . \fhex2n(h) converts hex number h to decimal number (inverse of \fn2hex()).
 . \fhex2ip(h) converts hex string h to dotted decimal IP address.
 . \fip2hex(s) converts dotted decimal IP address s to hex string.
 . \fradix(n,r1,r2) converts number n from radix r1 to radix r2, radices 2-36.

Networks:
 . SET TELNET DEBUG { ON, OFF } for debugging of Telnet option negotiation.
 . /WAIT and /NOWAIT switches added for TELNET.
 . Improved detection of connection loss.
 . Improved handling of Telnet negotiation timeouts.
 . Don't switch to CLEARCHANNEL automatically on RLOGIN connections.
 . OPEN HOST now accepted as a synonym for SET HOST.

Modems and dialing:
 . New syntax for DIAL command allows specification of a list of numbers.
 . New modem type: Rockwell V.90.
 . Better error diagnosis in certain odd circumunstances.
 . Better defenses against being stuck in close() of serial device.
 . HANGUP prior to first DIAL fixed.
 . OPEN LINE now accepted as a synonym for SET LINE.
 . Connection log phone number now contains no spaces.
 . Misinterpretation of CARRIER message from Rockwell modems fixed.

UNIX:
 . REDIRECT /EXEC <command> allows C-Kermit to be your PPP dialer.
 . Wildcard expansion problems fixed.
 . Spurious "write access to UUCP lockfile directory denied" errors fixed.
 . A native form of line-locking was added for QNX.
 . Use new UUCP lockfile API on FreeBSD.
 . Fixed problem with modem interaction on NetBSD.
 . Timezone/DST computation fixed in BSDI.

VMS:
 . SET BACKGROUND OFF enables echoing of prompts and commands to batch log.
 . Fixed reading of image data in non-batch DCL command procedures.
 . "?" in a directory field now lists only directories.
 . DELETE /ASK and /LIST added.
 . Various problems with DELETE fixed.
 . Numerous filespec parsing improvements.
 . DECC builds now use /UNSIGNED_CHAR.
 . Fixed chopping off last char of filename obtained from logical name.
 . Fixed spurious interception of escape sequences in CONNECT mode.
 . MANUAL command now restores normal echoing.

General:
 . New ability to see invisible keywords with "?".
 . Certain obscure pattern-matching problems fixed.
 . Improved help and error messages.
 . PURGE /RECURSIVE added.
 . Problem with DIRECTORY command and unreadable files fixed.
 . UNIX makefile target now identified in SHOW FEATURES.
 . Better handling of command files whose last lines lack terminators.

Builds:
 . New Mac OS/X target.
 . New OpenStep 4.2 target.
 . New LinuxPPP target.
 . New targets for Trusted HP-UX.
 . Linux target updated for ncurses 5.0.
 . Consolidated NetBSD targets.
 . 16-bit QNX version resurrected.
 . Numerous syntax adjustments for picky compilers.
 . Protocol module reorganized to keep some compilers from blowing up.
 . Better grouping of Unix makefile targets; antique targets moved to end.

NEW LICENSE

The new C-Kermit license (FIRST DRAFT!) is in the file COPYING.TXT and also
seen when you type "version" or "copyright" at the C-Kermit> prompt.  The
intention is to allow C-Kermit to be included with "free" operating systems
like Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, etc, in the regular OS distribution.

PSEUDOTERMINAL CONTROL

This new feature, available only in UNIX (most, but not all, UNIX versions)
allows C-Kermit to control any program that you can run at your terminal.
Unlike the PIPE command (introduced in earlier Betas), which was restricted
to those commands or programs that use standard input and output, the new
PTY and SET HOST /PTY commands can control any text-mode program at all.
This allows C-Kermit to:

 . Make connections it could not make before -- ssh, tn3270, and so on --
   with full file-transfer, character-set translation, and scripting
   available, just as on its own built-in connection types.

 . Script local programs such as ftp, your mail client, lynx, even (with
   sufficient ingenuity) editors like Emacs and Vi, not to mention the
   many command system-administration tools.

In short, C-Kermit can now take advantage of the capabilities of other
programs in a way that can be fully automated, without having to code these
capabilities into C-Kermit itself.  In the case of ssh, for example, this
allows C-Kermit to make "secure" connections without having to incorporate
the patented, export-restricted SSH code or algorithms.

SECURITY

The experimental SSL/TLS features have been finalized after months of
discussions with IETF working groups, submission of Internet Drafts, and
cooperation with other workers in this area:

 . Uses OpenSSL 0.9.4 to provide SSL and TLS protocol.
 . Supports SSLv3 and TLSv1 connections for use with HTTP script commands.
 . Implements the IETF TN3270 Working Groups' Telnet START_TLS
   option for negotiating secure telnet connections.  START_TLS
   may be used to provide an encrypted channel over which
   Kerberos, Secure Remote Password, and other authentication
   methods may then be used for end user authentication.
 . Implements Tim Hudson's Telnet AUTH SSL suboption.
 . Supports both client and server side protocols.
 . Server supports client certificate verification and revocation.
   certificate to userid mapping functionality may be customized.
 . ~/.tlslogin files may be used to provide automated login to accounts.
 . Client supports server certificate verification and revocation.
 . Kermit's START_TLS support is fully compatible with the Unix Telnet[d]
   START_TLS implementation developed by Peter Runestig which is available
   for download at ftp://ftp.runestig.com/pub/starttls/.

SSL/TLS and other security options are available only in the USA and Canada
due to USA export law.  To request the security modules, send email to
[e-mail].

HTTP CLIENT OPERATIONS

C-Kermit can now contact and interact directly with Web servers using HTTP
1.0 protocol.  Now you can use C-Kermit's automation features to manage
websites; get files, put files, delete files, get and examine indexes or
other information, post forms-filling data, and so on, and this can be done
in a secure manner by using SSL/TLS (available only in the USA and Canada).

DOCUMENTATION, ETC

All the new features are documented in the ckermit2.txt file, plus:

 . iksd.txt, now including complete information about the IKSD database.
 . security.txt, which is current with Beta.11.
 . telnet.txt, ditto.

Thanks to those who sent in binaries, bug reports, and suggestions so far.
If you can can do the same for Beta.11, I'd appreciate it!  And of course
report any problems to:

  [e-mail]

Filenames of new binaries start with ck?196b11 (where ? is u, v, d, etc).

Thanks!

- Frank