kermit_book_news.txt ==================== Path: cs.utk.edu!darwin.sura.net!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu !cs.utexas.edu!not-for-mail From: roberts@decus.arc.ab.ca (Rob Slade, DECrypt,ComNet,VARUG, 604-984-4067) Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec.micro Subject: "Using MS-DOS Kermit" by Gianone Date: 27 Oct 1993 14:34:20 -0500 Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway Lines: 95 Sender: daemon@cs.utexas.edu Message-ID: <9310271940.AA29432@eureka.arc.ab.ca> NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu BKUMSKMT.RVW 930831 Digital Press PO Box 3027 One Burlington Woods Drive Burlington, MA 01803-9593 800-DIGITAL (800-344-4825) "Using MS-DOS Kermit", Gianone, 1992 cmg@columbia.edu KERMIT@CUVMA.BITNET On the one hand, I don't like this book. It is responsible for the fact that the full Kermit documentation isn't included with the standard MS-DOS Kermit distribution any more. On the other hand, I like this book. It is responsible for the wider acceptance Kermit is having these days, and Kermit is an excellent protocol, system and program. Frank da Cruz can't exactly be seen as a disinterested bystander regarding all things "Kermit", so his praise of the book and its author in the Foreword are a bit suspect. By the end of chapter one, however, I was willing to suspend disbelief. It is one of the best general descriptions of the terminal emulation and file transfer processes I have ever read, pitched at just the right level for the non-technical reader. Chapter two is a quick look at getting started with Kermit on MS-DOS, and three is a quick look at MS-DOS, itself. Again, chapter three is about all most people need to know to use DOS on a hard disk, presented in admirable form. Chapter four deals fully with connection of modems, serial cables and phone jacks. Five covers testing of the setup, and some troubleshooting tests. Unlike most commercial communications program manuals, who want you to call their own BBS (long distance), the author has found an 800 number service to try out. (And it even works from Canada.) The process of using the program starts with chapter six. In proper pedagogical style, the user is introduced to the invocation and termination of the program, and the help system, along with some examples of the command structure. Chapter seven, entitled, "Getting Online", discusses communications parameters, not simply in terms of the commands needed, but describes what each parameter is, and what might result from an error. There is a brief discussion of MNP (Microcom Networking Protocol), which provides error correction and data compression in modern modems), and, although I have no right to expect it, I wish there was a bit on modem commands and settings here. Chapters eight to twelve cover the basics of communications commands. Terminal emulation is discussed thoroughly, and leads to key reassignment. File transfer, in chapter nine, leads to Kermit server operations: on the host in chapter ten, and the PC as server in chapter eleven. Chapter twelve covers non-protocol ASCII transfers. Chapter thirteen revisits terminal emulation with character sets and translations. This, of course, also covers character translations in file transfer. Chapter fourteen is the longest except for the command reference: it deals with macros and scripts. Even here the book does not become too technical; the intelligent novice should be quite comfortable in writing some fairly advanced scripts. Chapter fifteen is cute: it covers features for the physically, auditorily or visually challenged--and jumps from the previous ten point type up to fourteen point in order to do it. Network connections are discussed in chapter sixteen and, as promised, the command reference is in seventeen. The command reference also covers non-standard environments and devices. The glossary that Gianone has put together is of the same quality. Quite complete in terms of both data communications and the MS-DOS platform, the entries are clear and accessible to the intelligent novice. Three appendices round out the book. One is a set of tables of information, ranging from RS-232 pin assignments through selected "Hayes compatible" AT commands to ASCII codes. The second is a set of terminal "escape" sequences, while the third is a description of the files on the Kermit distribution diskette. At first I was a bit taken aback at the technical level of these appendices. These are the type of tables that I have been collecting for years while doing communications disgnostics and consulting. On the other hand, all it proves is that this book is for techies, too. I'll certainly be using it for reference in place of some of my well thumbed old tattered pages. Buy this book. If you are thinking of using MS-Kermit, buy this book. It is excellent documentation, and you get a free copy of MS-Kermit with it. If you are thinking of using Kermit on various platforms, buy this book. It is excellent documentation on Kermit as a whole, since the various versions at least make an attempt to present a consistent interface. If you are happy with another communications package, won't consider using non-commercial software, use a Mac and would never be caught dead using a command line interface, buy this book. It is an excellent presentation of data communications, and explains the functions, and not merely which keys to press. The material is broadly based, and is applicable to many systems of terminal emulation and file transfer. And who knows, you may just end up using Kermit after all ... copyright Robert M. Slade, 1993 BKUMSKMT.RVW 930831 Permission granted to distribute with unedited copies of the Digest ====================== DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733 DECUS Symposium '94, Vancouver, BC, Mar 1-3, 1994, contact: rulag@decus.ca Article 3002 of comp.protocols.kermit.misc: Path: cs.utk.edu!cssun.mathcs.emory.edu!emory!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!news-e1a.megaweb.com!newstf01.news.aol.com!uunet!in1.uu.net!news.nyc.pipeline.com!news.cs.columbia.edu!news.columbia.edu!watsun.cc.columbia.edu!fdc From: fdc@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Frank da Cruz) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.kermit.misc, Subject: Re: The manual... Date: 11 Jun 1995 19:13:19 GMT Organization: Columbia University, New York City Lines: 42 Message-ID: <3rff8f$nfl@apakabar.cc.columbia.edu> References: <3r9jgt$i7o@gozer.inri.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: watsun.cc.columbia.edu In article <3r9jgt$i7o@gozer.inri.com>, Josh J Fielek wrote: >Could some kind soul post specifics about good C-Kermit books? > Frank da Cruz and Christine M. Gianone, "Using C-Kermit", Digital Press / Butterworth-Heinemann, Woburn, MA, 1993, 514 pages, ISBN 1-55558-108-0 US single-copy price: $36.95; quantity discounts available. Available in computer bookstores or directly from Columbia University: Kermit Development and Distribution Columbia University Academic Information Systems 612 West 115th Street New York, NY 10025-7721 USA Telephone: +1 212 854-3703 Fax: +2 212 663-8202 Domestic and overseas orders accepted. Price: US $36.95 (US, Canada, and Mexico), US $47 elsewhere. Orders may be paid by MasterCard or Visa, or prepaid by check in US dollars. Add US $35 bank fee for checks not drawn on a US bank. Price includes shipping. Do not include sales tax. Inquire about quantity discounts. You can also order by phone from the publisher, Digital Press / Butterworth-Heinemann, with MasterCard, Visa, or American Express: +1 800 366-2665 (Woburn, Massachusetts office for USA & Canada) +1 800 665-1148 (Logan Bros, Winnepeg, Manitoba office for Canada) +44 1933 414414 (Rushden, England office for Europe) +61 2 372-5511 (Chatswood, NSW office for Australia & New Zealand) +65 220-3684 (Singapore office for Asia) +27 031 294247 (Durban office for South Africa) A German-language edition is also available: Frank da Cruz and Christine M. Gianone, "C-Kermit - Einfuehrung und Referenz", Verlag Heinz Heise, Hannover, Germany (1994). ISBN 3-88229-023-4. Deutsch von Gisbert W. Selke. Price: DM 88,00. Verlag Heinz Heise GmbH & Co. KG, Helstorfer Strasse 7, D-30625 Hannover. Tel. +49 (05 11) 53 52-0, Fax. +49 (05 11) 53 52-1 29. - Frank Article 3038 of comp.protocols.kermit.misc: Path: cs.utk.edu!nntp.memphis.edu!nntp.msstate.edu!gatech!news.mathworks.com!solaris.cc.vt.edu!spcuna!news.columbia.edu!watsun.cc.columbia.edu!fdc Newsgroups: comp.protocols.kermit.misc,aus.kermit Subject: Difficulty obtaining Kermit manuals Message-ID: <3rt0lb$c7r@apakabar.cc.columbia.edu> From: fdc@watsun.cc.columbia.edu (Frank da Cruz) Date: 16 Jun 1995 22:30:03 GMT Organization: Columbia University NNTP-Posting-Host: watsun.cc.columbia.edu Lines: 70 Xref: cs.utk.edu comp.protocols.kermit.misc:3038 aus.kermit:18 It seems that some of the phone numbers that were published for Digital Press / Butterworth Heinemann / Reed Elsevier (the publisher of the three English-language Kermit books) were wrong. We have verified with the publisher that the following list is true and accurate and up to date: +1 800 366-2665 (Woburn, MA office for USA & Canada) * +1 416 598-0045 (Toronto, ON office for Canada) * +44 1933 414414 (Rushden, England office for Europe) +61 2 372-5511 (Chatswood, NSW office for Australia & NZ) * +65 356-1925 (Singapore office for Asia etc) +27 031-294247 (Durban office for South Africa) +91 3282580 (New Delhi office for India) +852 5 539289 (Hong Kong) +55 011 492-4496 (Brazil office for South America) The ones marked with * are new or changed. We have attempted to update all our online files and Web pages, etc, to show the right numbers. In the meantime, anybody outside the USA who has had difficulty locating these books is encouraged to try (or have their bookstores try) the new numbers. Readers in Australia and New Zealand: please note that the Chatswood NSW office will be moving soon and the number will change. So now is a good time to call :-) Of course, people in all countries can also order direct from Columbia University. We have all three books in English, and we also have the French edition of "Using MS-DOS Kermit", so French Canadians need not order it all the way from France. See our Web page for further information: http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/manuals.html or send email to kermit@columbia.edu. Meanwhile, there have also been reports that the German editions are hard to find. The first reason for this is that we published the wrong fax number for the publisher, Verlag Heinz Heise in Hannover. The correct fax number is: +49 (05 11) 53 52-1 29 (not 53 23-1 29). The voice number (which was published correctly) was, and still is: +49 (05 11) 53 52-0 The rest of the story will be narrated by our excellent friend and German translator, Gisbert W. Selke: The situation is thus: Heise has run out of pre-packaged book+disk combos. There are still books galore lying around, but they want to package MS-Kermit 3.14 with it -- a sensible thing to do, I think, for all the new feechures! In order that people may make use of all the new goodies, they want to put translated versions of the update, beware and help files on disk. This is currently being prepared; so, yes, in a sense, it *is* sold out, but then again, it is *not*. I'd reckon it'll take the new books four weeks to appear in the stores. If that's fast enough for you, fine -- you'll have it right up to date! Otherwise, if you're pressed for time and would be content to receive the updated on-disk manuals at a later time, I imagine they'd be willing to supply you with what they have right away. (end quote) - Frank =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=