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- KERMIT C-64, v1.5
-
- Robert W. Detenbeck, University of Vermont.
-
- KERMIT is a protocol for transferring files between different
- computers. This KERMIT program was written in the FORTH language, for
- a Commodore C64 computer with a Commodore 1541 disk drive (device 8)
- and a Commodore 1600 modem on the RS-232 port (device 2). Other
- drives and modems may work if they use the same device numbers. The
- program itself uses about 30K; disk buffers for "save" and "help"
- commands extend downward from $9FFF; and there are scratch string
- areas in $CB00-$CFFF. This program has been tested only under limited
- conditions. It has been run at 300 baud, but the nature of the
- interrupt-driven RS-232 interface suggests that 1200 or even 2400 baud
- should work without loss of data, though perhaps not at the efficiency
- of a machine-language program. Multiple-file transfers with wild-card
- construction cause some problems in the transfer of filenames from
- Kermit-20.
-
- The "help" files, named scr96, scr97 and scr98, give details of
- this program's special characteristics. Several special features were
- required by the C64's use of Commodore's own form of ASCII code, and
- its lack of certain ASCII capabilities. ASCII backslash prints as a
- vertical bar, chr$(221), but is transmitted by the "pound" key; the
- tab and formfeed characters are stored in C64 files as chr$(220) and
- chr$(219).
-
- The KERMIT "connect" command converts the C64 into a simple
- terminal, in which the C64 "delete" button transmits the ASCII code
- 127, "DEL". If the host mainframe requires a backspace, ASCII code 8,
- the F5 key should be used. The terminal program contained herein
- responds correctly to a backspace character received from the modem.
-
- You have received a "turnkey" copy of the FORTH program, in which
- the source screens and programming system are inaccessible. This copy
- may be recopied and distributed without restriction. In fact, the
- "new" command of this KERMIT facilitates such copying. If you want a
- copy of the original FORTH screens, with a printing program to device
- 4, you may obtain one by sending a blank disk in a stamped,
- self-addressed mailer to the author, Robert W. Detenbeck, Department
- of Physics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405. They were
- written to be used with version A of C64-FORTH, sold by Performance
- Micro Products, 770 Dedham Street-S2, Canton, MA 02021. Slight
- modifications would be required to use the screens with the newer
- version B, a pure FORTH-79 standard. Because the screens of C64-FORTH
- are 25 x 40, extensive retyping would be necessary to format them for
- readability on a standard 16 x 64 FORTH screen.
-
- Information about KERMIT can be obtained from the following
- sources:
- Frank da Cruz and Bill Catchings, "Kermit: A File-Transfer Protocol
- for Universities"
- BYTE, vol. 9, no. 6, June 1984, p. 255 (Part 1)
- BYTE, vol. 9, no. 7, July 1984, p. 143 (Part 2)
- KERMIT USERS GUIDE, 4th ed., available for $5.00 from KERMIT
- Distribution, Columbia University Center for Computing Activities, 7th
- Floor, Watson Laboratory, 612 West 115th Street, New York, N.Y. 10025.
- For those near the University of Vermont, the USERS GUIDE can be
- purchased from the Academic Computing Center in the Cook Building.
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