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 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 may need to be changed to #include . 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)