The files in this directory represent the Unix version 4C(057) of Kermit as
of 7/31/85. All other versions are available from Columbia University by means
described below. Their brochure and order form follow. The file ckaaaa.hlp
describes the other files in this directory.
This is the Columbia University Kermit brochure and order form as of June 1985.
If a lot of time has passed since then, chances are that it will be obsolete,
in which case you should inquire at the address below or call 212-280-3703 to
find out if the terms and conditions have changed, or whether any new systems
have been added to the list of those supported by Kermit.
******************************
Columbia University Center for Computing Activities
THE KERMIT FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL
Kermit is a protocol for transferring sequential files between computers of all
sizes over ordinary asynchronous telecommunication lines using packets, check-
sums, and retransmission to promote data integrity. Kermit is non-proprietary,
thoroughly documented, and in wide use. The protocol and the original im-
plementations were developed at Columbia University and have been shared with
many other institutions, some of which have made significant contributions of
their own. Kermit is presently available for more than 100 different machines
and operating systems, and additional versions are always under development.
Current implementations include:
Unix (V7, 4.x BSD, System III, System V, Xenix, Venix, PC/IX; C language)
Software Tools (various systems; Ratfor)
Burroughs B6800, B7900 (Algol)
Cray-1, Cray-XMP (CTSS; Fortran-77)
CDC Cyber 170 (NOS, NOS/BE; Fortran-77)
Data General Nova (RDOS; Fortran-5)
Data General AOS (Fortran-5), AOS/VS (Pascal)
DEC PDP-11 (RT11,RSX11M(+),RSTS,P/OS,TSX+; Macro-11), (MUMPS; MUMPS-11)
DEC VAX-11 (VMS; Bliss-32 or Macro-32), (VMS; Pascal/Fortran)
DECsystem-10 (TOPS-10; Bliss-36, Macro-10)
DECSYSTEM-20 (TOPS-20; Macro-20)
Honeywell (MULTICS; PL/I), DPS-6,8 (GCOS; C, B), CP6 (Pascal)
Hewlett-Packard 1000 (RTE-6/VM; Fortran), HP3000 (MPE; SPL or Fortran)
IBM 370-Series (VM/CMS, MVS/TSO, MVS/GUTS, MTS, MUSIC; Assembler)
Perkin-Elmer 3200 Series (OS32; Fortran)
Sperry/Univac-1100 (EXEC; Assembler or Ratfor or Pascal)
CP/M-80 (about 20 different systems; ASM)
CP/M-86 (DEC Rainbow, NEC APC, and several other systems; ASM86)
MS-DOS, PC-DOS (IBM PC,XT,AT, DEC Rainbow, and many other systems; MASM)
UCSD p-System (IBM PC, Terak, and other systems; Pascal)
Alpha Micro 68000 (Alpha 68K Assembler)
Apple II 6502 (Apple DOS; DEC-10/20 CROSS or Apple Assembler)
Apple Macintosh (SUMACC C)
Commodore 64 (DEC-10/20 CROSS or FORTH)
DEC Pro-300 Series (P/OS; Bliss-16 or Macro-11),(Pro/RT; Macro),(Venix; C)
Intel Development System (ISIS; PL/M)
TRS80 Models I,III,4 (TRSDOS; ASM), Model 16 (Xenix; C), Color Computer (Asm)
The IBM mainframe Kermits work only with asynchronous TTY connections through
3705 or equivalent front ends. The VM/CMS and MVS/TSO versions also have an
option to allow file transfer through Series/1 or other front ends supporting
the Yale ASCII Communications System; beyond that exception, Kermit cannot
transfer files in the IBM synchronous 3270-style full screen terminal environ-
The Kermit software -- including source -- is furnished free, without license,
and with no restriction on copying or redistribution except that it should not
be sold for profit, and that any copyright notices must be left intact. Under
certain conditions (described in a separate document) software producers may
include Kermit protocol in their products. Kermit software and documentation
is furnished without warranty of any kind, and neither Columbia University, nor
the individual authors, nor any institution that has contributed Kermit
material, acknowledge any liability for any claims arising from the use of Ker-
Although the Kermit software is free and unlicensed, Columbia University cannot
afford to distribute it for free because the demand is too great. To defray
our costs for media, printing, postage, labor, and computing resources, we re-
quire a moderate distribution fee from those who request Kermit directly from
us. The schedule is given on the Kermit Order Form. Alternate sources for
Kermit material are listed below.
Kermit is distributed by Columbia University only on 9-track magnetic tape,
suitable for reading on most mainframe and minicomputers. It is assumed that
Kermit will be ordered in this form by institutional computer centers, whose
professional staff will take the responsibility for ``bootstrapping'' the
microcomputer versions from the tape to diskettes for their users.
Documentation includes the Kermit User Guide, which contains complete instruc-
tions for installing and using the major implementations of Kermit, the Kermit
Protocol Manual, which is a guide for writing a new implementation of Kermit,
and the manuscript from the Kermit article that appeared in the June and July
1984 issues of BYTE Magazine.
Once you receive Kermit, you may redistribute it on your own terms, and are en-
couraged to do so, with the following stipulations: Kermit should not be sold
for profit; credit should be given where it is due; and new material should be
sent back to Columbia University so that we can maintain a definitive and com-
prehensive set of Kermit implementations for further distribution.
Kermit is also available to users of the BITNET network via a server at host
CUVMA (BITNET users type ``SMSG RSCS MSG CUVMA KERMSRV HELP'' for further
information); the Internet (via anonymous FTP from host CU20B, in the area
KER:); UUCP from host okstate; and on magnetic tape from user groups like DECUS
and SHARE. IBM PC-format MS-DOS Kermit floppies can be ordered from PC-SIG,
Santa Clara CA, (408) 730-9291.
There are two separate Kermit tapes, A and B. As of June 1985 there are too
many Kermit files to fit on a single tape. All tapes are half-inch, 2400-foot,
9-track, 1600bpi, odd parity. They are available ONLY in the following for-
ANSI: ANSI labeled ASCII, format D (variable length records)
TAR: UNIX TAR format (written on a VAX with 4.2bsd or Ultrix-32)
OS: IBM OS standard labeled EBCDIC, format VB (variable length records)
CMS: IBM CMS Tape Dump format (unlabeled)
DEC-10: DECsystem-10 Backup/Interchange format (unlabeled)
DEC-20: DECSYSTEM-20 DUMPER format (unlabeled)
Blocksizes, when applicable, are our choice and will be in the range 2K-10K.
NO OTHER FORMATS ARE AVAILABLE. We can NOT make 800bpi or 6250bpi tapes,
7-track tapes, unlabeled tapes (except as noted above), fixed-block tapes, or
custom tapes of any kind. If none of the above formats looks familiar to you,
then specify ANSI -- this is an industry standard format that should be read-
able by any computer system. VAX/VMS sites should specify ANSI.
Tapes include machine readable source for both programs and documentation.
- The microcomputer (PC, workstation) Kermit implementations
- The Kermit Protocol Manual
- The Info-Kermit mail archive,
- Other documentation of a general nature
- The mainframe and minicomputer Kermit implementations.
- Macintosh Kermit is one of the implementations generated from the
C-Kermit sources, which are collected on tape B. A duplicate copy of
the Macintosh hex and doc files is also included on tape A for con-
- While the general documentation is on tape A, any documentation of a
specific nature is distributed together with the program it
TO ORDER KERMIT, fill out the Kermit Order Form and send it to:
Columbia University Center for Computing Activities
North American orders are shipped UPS or first class US mail, and shipping
costs are included. Overseas orders are shipped first class US mail; an ad-
ditional shipping charge is required. Orders are normally processed within 2-4
Check each desired Kermit Distribution Tape, $100.00 each:
Tape A, in the following format(s):
[ ] CMS [ ] DEC-10 [ ] DEC-20 $________
Tape B, in the following format(s):
[ ] CMS [ ] DEC-10 [ ] DEC-20 $________
[ ] PRIME computers: specify ANSI and check
here to receive a listing of a short
Fortran program for reading ANSI tapes.
Tape Subtotal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $________
Printed documents $5.00 each, enter quantity:
[ ] Kermit Protocol Manual $
[ ] BYTE Magazine Kermit article manuscript $
Document Subtotal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $________
Program source listings, $5.00 each. There is NO NEED to order
source listings if you have ordered a tape, since the program
source is on the tape. List the ones you want:
Listings Subtotal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $________
If you can NOT prepay with a check, but want us to send
you an invoice, you must include an additional $100.00
Order Processing Fee: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $________
Outside North America, please add $25.00 for shipping:. . . $________
GRAND TOTAL:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $________
Make checks (in US Dollars) payable to:
Columbia University Center for Computing Activities
[ ] Check here to apply for a user ID on the Columbia University DEC-20
system which will allow you to read the Info-Kermit electronic
newsletter, and to use Kermit itself to obtain new releases of Kermit.
PLEASE WRITE YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS, AND PURCHASE ORDER NUMBER IF ANY:
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