123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890 THE SIMTEL20 MACINTOSH ARCHIVES OVERVIEW: There is a colossal amount of free public domain software for the CP/M, PCDOS/MSDOS, MACINTOSH and UNIX operating systems, and for the DoD standard programming language, Ada, in several archives on WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL, a DECsystem-20 running the TOPS-20 operating system at White Sands Missile Range.N.M. You can obtain these files using the InterNet file transfer protocol, FTP. Throughout, FTP examples are given in a GENERIC syntax. You will have to consult either local documentation or your friendly system wizard to learn the actual syntax used with your local mainframe operating system. For the sake of brevity, the domain suffix ".ARMY.MIL" will be dropped from further references to WSMR-SIMTEL20 in this document. To obtain directory listings, connect to WSMR-SIMTEL20 via FTP and do this: Type at the prompt: FTP> getPD1:macintosh.crclst A copy of the list will be sent to your host computer. *HINT* dir PD1:* <-- displays a listing of the sub-directories A listing of current sub directories is provided below. This list will from time to time be updated due to the changes brought about by the Mac. PD1: where sub directory = one of the following .APPL ........ Applications .CDEV ........ CDEV's .CODE ........ Programming source code (except UNIX) .COMM ........ Communication Applications and Utilities .DA ........ Desk Accessories .DEMO ........ Demonstrations of new software .DOC ......... Documentation for apps NOTin archives .ED .......... Education .FKEY ........ FKeys .FONTS ....... Fonts for ImageWriter I and II .HC .......... All HyperCard stacks and XCMDS etc. .INIT ........ INIT's .LANG ........ Programming Languages and utilities .MACII ....... Macintosh II specific apps .MACTN ....... Macintosh Tech Notes (From Apple) .NEWS ........ Macintosh news items .PATCHES ..... Small "fixes" by the software developer .PICT ........ Pictures .REVIEW ...... Software reviews .SOUNDS ...... Music, sounds, and utilities .TECH ........ General technical information .UNIX ........ UNIX programs and utilities .UTIL ........ Misc. Utilities .UTILDSK ..... Disk Utilities, Fast formatters, etc. .UTILFIL ..... File Utilities .UTILPRN...... Printer Utilities .VIRUS ....... Anti-Virus detectors and killers (we hope) Sub-directories have a file labeled "00README.TXT". It will help you to take the time to read this file. You may have to do this on line with the "TYPE" [filename] command or you may use the "GET" [filename] command and read the doc on your host computer or PC It describes files listed in that sub directory. This file is Tab delimited so you can use a data base program to input the data for easy retrieval, if you wish. *** PLEASE NOTE *** Due to the large number of files available, the archives maintainers CANNOT possibly attempt to validate the proper operation of the various programs. When a program bug is reported, immediate action is taken to either correct the error or remove the offending program from the archives. Still, users must understand that all archives programs are offered ** AS IS **. THE ARCHIVES MAINTAINERS SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY LIABILITY SHOULD THESE PROGRAMS MALFUNCTION OR CAUSE DAMAGE, INCIDENTAL OR OTHERWISE. When testing ANY new software, be certain that all information stored on disk is backed-up before you start, so that you can recover if files are damaged or erased. This is particularly true if you have a hard disk, in which case malfunctions can be spectacularly disastrous. If you have any doubt about any software you *ever* receive, run it from floppy disks and use the applications found in PD1:. They can only check for KNOWN virus, but they are better than doing nothing! FILE TYPES: Files are stored in four formats: . ASCII, UNCOMPRESSED, with an extension of: [filename].TXT..... for use with 00README files . BINARY, COMPRESSED, with the following extensions. [filename].DOC..... for all doc's not with an application [filename].SIT..... for all applications, utilities,etc. . BINARY,GIFFER, with an extension of: [filename].GIF..... for use with GIFFER Pictures .BINARY, with an extension of: [filename].BIN.... for some "bootstrap" programs The only time you will find [filename].TXT use in the PD1: area is for the 00README.TXT file which is in each sub directory. This file is a one line explanation of the files contained in that area. The format is generally: [filename].ext TAB {date, description}. The [filename].GIF extension is for the pictures that are stored in the more or less standard format of "GIFFER". IBM or compatibilities can access and display these files by simply removing the 128 byte header on each picture. All Binary data are stored as four 8-bit Bytes per 36-bit SIMTEL20 word, with the low-order four bits of each word filled with zeros. If such a file is interpreted as a contiguous string, as will happen if a straight binary transfer is made to a 16 or 32 bit UNIX machine, the four zero filler bits per 36 bit group will cause rather bizarre results. The [filename].BIN extension is for a limited number of programs you may need to "get started" in your downloading. As an example. Since most of the files on the SIMTEL20 are in the .SIT format the program to un-Stuff the files is in a form whereby all you have to do is FTP the file to your Host computer in BINARY. Please make sure you under- stand how to do this. See the section "File Transfer via FTP for more details. After you have FTP'ed the file you can download it to your Mac with any program that supports MacBinary dowloading. After the download is completed you can just double click on the filename icon and you will be in the application and working. FILE NAMES: Files are named using no more than 14 characters before the "." with up to 3 characters for the extension. Since many times the real name, reduced to 14 characters would have little or no meaning to you nor myself I have taken the liberty of putting a Header on the file and a number. You will find this method a little surprising but it really does make sense. The MUSIC, MACTN, and CODE sub directories are set up exclusively this way. A couple of examples might be helpful: PD1: MU0001 This shows ONLY the MUSIC file number 0001 thru however many music files we have. The name and description will again be in the 00README file. SN0001 This shows ONLY the SOUND file number 0001 thru however many sound files we have. The name and description will again be in the 00README file. PD1: ASM-nnnn Denotes Assembly Code. BAS-nnnn Denotes BASIC Source Code C-nnnn Denotes "C" Source Code CSHAR-nnnn Denotes related "C" files P-nnnn Denotes Pascal Source Code PSHAR-nnnn Denotes related Pascal files RAS-nnnn Denotes Rascal Source Code RMKR-nnnn Denotes RMaker Source Code XLISP-nnnn Denotes Xlisp Source Code XSHAR-nnnn Denotes related Xlisp Code FILE TRANSFER VIA FTP: FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, a formalized procedure for moving files among machines on the Defense Data Network (DDN) and other networks that connect with the DDN. The protocol is implemented by a program often called FTP. The different mainframe operating systems implement FTP with variations in command syntax. Some systems have the remote-file-name precede the local-file-name in the command. Others reverse this order. Some versions have the whole command on a single input line, while others use multiple lines. Read the documentation for your local system, or consult a friendly local system wizard for the details of your FTP command syntax. UNIX users can do something like "man ftp" for on-line instructions. However, not all UNIX FTP programs are called "FTP", so you may have to snoop around in the system directories or ask a system wizard for the correct local name to use with the "man" command. ITS users can do ":INFO FTP". "HELP FTP" works on TOPS-20 and some other operating systems. FTP transfers from SIMTEL20 can be made with user-name "anonymous." Use GUEST for the password. For anonymous logins, SIMTEL20 supports the FTP "change working directory" command. (Your local syntax may be something like CD, or CWD). *(Ignore the message which may appear that prompts you to enter a password.)* This command allows you to specify a default SIMTEL20 directory to be used for file retrievals, and thereby relieves you from having to repeatedly type "PD1:" as part of each filename. For example, you can do something like this: FTP>cd PD1: FTP>get filename-1 FTP>get filename-2 ...and so on instead of using the longer filename forms shown in previous examples. Users of TOPS-10, TENEX, TOPS-20 or ITS systems can use "image" or "paged" mode for ALL transfers. UNIX users must use "ascii" mode for ASCII files, and "type tenex" or "type L 8" mode for binary files. MULTICS users can use "ascii" mode for ASCII files, but binary files require special treatment. VMS also requires a special setting. Instead of using "BGET" type "Quote Type L-8 and use "GET" *NOT* "BGET" which is many many cases does not work correctly. The following example provided by Lee Choquetteu-: shows FTP'ing from a UNIX host. *NOTE* Lines with "!" are typed by the terminal user. ug>!_ftp WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL Connected to WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL FTP Server process 5Z(50)-7 at Thu 4-xxx-88 !_name (WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL:u-lchoqu): anonymous ANONYMOUS user ok, send real ident as password. Password: !_(GUEST WILL DO FINE HERE) User ANONYMOUS logged in at Thu 4-xxx-88 17:15-MDT, job 10. ftp>!_cd PD1: Default name accepted. Send password to connect to it. !_(carriage return) ftp>!_tenex (or type l 8) <-- NOTE: That's lowercase "L"8. Type L bytesize 8 ok. ftp>!_get TN40-786 tn40 Port 17.176 at host 128.110.0.0 accepted Retrieve of PD1:TN40-786..1 started. Transfer completed. 4480 (8) bytes transferred local: tn40 remote: tn40-786 bytes received in 4.3 seconds (1kbytes/s) ftp> get TN69-386 AND SO ON. ftp>!_bye or quit QUIT command received. Goodbye. ug>!_kermit -ix C-Kermit server starting. Return to your local machine by typing its escape sequence for closing the connection, and issue further commands from there. To shut down the C-Kermit server, issue the FINISH or BYE command and then reconnect. The received files are stored with one 8-bit byte per 9-bit word. After starting up the UNIX Kermit with -i (binary), and -x (server), set your Macintosh Kermit's File Defaults to Mode: Binary and Fork: Data and do Get File TN* After downloading, run the file/s through STUFFIT and uncompress as necessary. WARNING Because the public domain archives on SIMTEL20 consume a huge amount of disk space, storage capacity must be conserved by the greatest practical use of compressed files, which are stored in binary format. If you cannot properly transfer binary files, you are going to be VERY FRUSTRATED! If you need help, please contact your local system wizard and provide him/her with a copy of these doc's. Having done that, if you are still unable to make things work correctly, have your system wizard send a message to: RTHUM@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL and I will try to help.Please have them provide the following information: . Machine and system (e.g., VAX-11/780, 4.2 BSD UNIX) . Network software in use (e.g., 3-Com UNET) . Complete list of available FTP commands (e.g., GET, PUT) PROGRAMS FOR TRANSFERRING FILES AMONG MAINFRAMES AND MICROS: With the wide and varied types of mainframes and micros and with so many many different terminal programs, your best approach for downloading to your micro will be to contact your local system guru, who will is better equipped to help solve your local problems. RedRyder: An excellent program for transferring files between micros, or between micros and mainframes is called RedRyderxxx where the xxx is replaced by digits to give the version number. This program can use one of several different protocols to facilitate file transfers. Not only is Christensen Protocol supported but the more popular error checking, called CRC (for Cyclic Redundancy Check) is the automatic default. This simply means RR will automatically ask the mainframe if it supports CRC error checking, if it says no, RR will switch. X modem protocol and Kermit in RedRyder, are two ways to download the file from your host computer to your Macintosh. The only thing you will notice is a slight pause before starting the file transfer. Kermit has the advantage of being available for an impressively large number of mainframes and micros. Universities most notably use Kermit. *NOTE* Kermit has several versions. You WILL have problems if you do not have Mac Kermit Version 0.9 (40) or greater. ADDITIONS, IMPROVEMENTS AND CORRECTIONS: Suggestions for additions, improvements and corrections to this message are always welcome. Please send them to RTHUM@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL. Contributions of public domain software are actively solicited.If you have something that seems appropriate for inclusion in the archives please contact RTHUM@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL Happy MAC'ing! Robert Thum rthum@WSMR-SIMTEL20.ARMY.MIL *best* rthum@WSMR-EMH10.ARMY.MIL *if you must*