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- This note explains what all the k5jb* stuff is about. KA9Q NET is the
- TCP/IP suite that preceeded NOS. I use it because it is smaller, runs
- on both my MS-DOS and Unix machines, and does what I want to do. Also,
- it is mature and meets the standards you would expect from profession-
- ally prepared software. In other words, it doesn't crash.
-
- The k31 release of the KA9Q NET doesn't have any major changes that
- would affect Unix or Coherent users, but has been worked over by N0QBJ
- and me to make it compile and operate correctly under OS9/OSK. BM was
- likewise worked over.
-
- All the source files are new with this release, except for the sample
- startup files that were thrown together at the request of one user. You
- should download all the files to have a complete kit.
-
- k5jb.k31.txt (and preface in unix.note)
-
- Version k31 of the K5JB NET kit is a complete set of Unix and Coherent source
- code files for the KA9Q NET (pre NOS TCP/IP). It is NOT necessary to get
- earlier source files to have a complete kit, but it IS necessary to get
- k5jb.bm.tar.Z to have a coordinated version of the mailer, BM. Thus, a
- complete k31 kit consists of:
-
- k5jb.k31.txt -- This file
- k5jb.k31.tar.Z -- Source code for Unix KA9Q NET
- k5jb.dock31.tar.Z -- Complete user documentation for same.
- k5jb.bmk31.tar.Z -- Source code for BM, the mailer.
- k5jb.samp.tar.Z -- Optional, Sample startup files for beginners.
-
- (These files on ucsd.edu are either in /hamradio/packet/tcpip/incoming, or in
- /hamradio/packet/tcpip/k5jb.)
-
- These files were compressed with plain vanilla compress, and tarred with
- plain, old tar. Hint: Use tar xvfo <tarfile> to extract files with
- their original timestamps entact.
-
- Brief description of Unix NET
-
- NET is designed as an MS-DOS application, so does not make full use of Unix's
- multi-tasking ability but runs quite well in Unix. You can use it in a Unix
- windowing environment (or in shell layers) but you must prevent blocking on
- input if you make the window session inactive. See the doc on how to do
- this. Also, a casual user shouldn't shell out of NET for an extended period
- of time, as NET suspends operation during shell escapes. If you operate a
- heavily used machine, use your system's background methods and switch to
- another terminal session to do other things.
-
- If you are unfamiliar with NET (the TCP/IP suite, written by Phil Karn, KA9Q,
- and preceding his current project, NOS), you need to break out the files in
- k5jb.dock31.tar.Z and browse them. k5jb.k31.tar.Z contains a file,
- srcnote.unix, which has modification information, and note.unix that is
- specific to Unix setup.
-
- Brief description of kit
-
- More detail on files contained in this set:
-
- k5jb.k31.tar.Z
- Contains files needed to compile NET under various System V, Release 3
- versions of Unix (I use AT&T), under Coherent, version 4.0.1 and under
- OS9/OSK. This file also contains srcnote.unix, a collection of revision
- notes, and note.unix for information specific to Unix and Coherent that
- I not yet included in the main documentation. (This .txt file is also
- the preface to note.unix.) W5GFE compiled NET and BM under SCO Unix (80386)
- Sys V, release 3, both with the native compiler and with GNU. Others
- report compiling it under various versions of Unix, but were not specific
- on versions used. See note.os9 for information on how to compile under
- OS9/OSK.
-
- k5jb.bmk31.tar.Z
- Contains source for Bdale's Mailer (BM). Works with same environmental
- variables as K5JB version of NET. Has been sanitized to prevent memory
- violations. This is not really version k31, but was updated at the same
- time as NET version k31 to compile and run correctly under OS9/OSK.
-
- k5jb.dock31.tar.Z
- Contains NET and BM user's documentation. Targeted for MS-DOS users, but
- contains essential Unix information.
-
- k5jb.samp.tar.Z
- Contains a rough set of sample configuration files for setup. I didn't
- make any particular effort to cover all instances so you must look at
- chapter0 and decide if you want to go on from there. This file was
- unchanged with the k31 release.
-
- (The following footnote was added to the k5jb.k28.txt and that file was
- sent to ucsd.edu after the tar was uploaded. I made the change and made
- a new tar but did not reload it to ucsd.edu. sys/fcntl.h is missing in
- only the latest versions of Coherent. As a policy, I will not be making
- changes to my files that would cause them to no longer work with the
- first version of Coherent 4 that I received, thus preventing portability
- problems. You can do anything you want with your copy.)
-
- (Footnote) Since I uploaded k5jb.k28.tar.Z, two possible problems for
- Coherent users were reported to me. In the file, telunix.c, the line,
- #include <sys/fcntl.h> may need to be changed to #include <fcntl.h>.
- The other possible problem is related to the use of the quit signal to
- prepare NET for background operation under shl, the shell layer manager.
- If you see a message to the effect that keyboard input is ignored...
- use a Ctrl-\ to toggle the condition. A quit signal sent to a process
- from another active window may have been also received by NET. (I
- couldn't easily duplicate this.)
-
- While we are adding afterthoughts, I want to remind you that files from
- this suite are used to make executables for MS-DOS computers which use
- the IBM PC bus so some modules relate to accessory cards for that machine.
- Defining compiler directives like DRSI, or PC_EC, will cause your compile
- to fail.
-
- Also, globally defining things like "NOTUSED" or "LATER" will have unpre-
- dictible consequences.
-
- Coherent users have no need to use the Ctrl-\ (quit) switch on NET if
- they are using virtual terminals. NET runs fine when its window is not
- active. In fact, using the quit signal removes one of the two places
- where the CPU is released to do other tasks. If you start NET with no
- serial ports attached (like if you have no startup.net file), and issue
- a quit signal to ignore keyboard input, NET will become a CPU hog,
- consuming an enormous amount of the machine's resources.
-
- (End of k5jb.k31.txt)
-
-
-