SRI serial line file transfer protocol

[utzoo!decvax!cca!Schauble.Multics at MIT-MULTICS]

Your message arrives at a very appropriate time. I have just spent
the last few weeks trying to locate a protocol for just exactly that
purpose.

I will second all of the objections to the MODEM2 protocol. My
particular problem with it is the lack of an end of frame sequence,
which makes it impossible to implement on any computer where you
can't get received data character by character.

I would like to propose the creation of a limited mailing list to
attack this problem. This group should have the primary goal of
developing a suitable protocol and publishing it. I suspect that test
implementations will follow shortly. 

If this list does materialize, please include me.


As for other work, the only other effort I know of is that done by
MicroNet or CompuServe Inc. They have developed a mainframe to micro
file transfer protocol and implemented it on MicroNet, which (I
believe) runs on DEC-10's.  Unfortunately, they refuse to release any
information about the protocol, so it is useless for any other
purpose .

I have been toying with the idea of making a version of HDLC that can
run over async lines.

However, I think we should make the other list and have at it there.

			Paul