Kermit and its Terminal Emulation

If it doesn't make you think about a frog, the name Kermit may remind you of the nearly universally available file-transfer protocol.

But, in addition to allowing the clean transfer of files, several programs inspired by the Kermit project also provide terminal-emulation capability. (As of April A.D. 2002, Kermit 95 also supports SSH, as well as telnet.)

Note: Because of security issues, the "telnet" protocol should no longer be used, by itself, across the public Internet without encapsulation in some secure underlying protocol. SSH is often the most convenient tool for increasing security of remote connections, however, it is not perfect or foolproof. If SSH is deployed carelessly, security weaknesses may still exist in the connection setup, as discussed in The Kermit Project's SSH Client documentation.

• Description of MS-Kermit's emulation of the DEC VT320 and other terminals.
• Description of Tektronix graphics implemented by MS-Kermit
• General discussion about Kermit protocol and implementations
• Discussion focusing more on details of the protocol.
• termcap entry for MS-Kermit
• How MS-Kermit views scan codes on an IBM-PC/AT-type keyboard.
  
  
• FAQ about MS-Kermit, emulation, and serial communication.
• Frank da Cruz and company wrote the book on Kermit.
  (Also auf Deutsch.)
  
  
• MS-Windows Kermit icon (or uuencoded)
• How to set up your MS-Kermit for typing in the efficient Dvorak layout.
• How folks in Arizona set up their MS-Kermit.
• About a simple Kermit version (QK) in Turbo Pascal.
• QK Kermit for MS-DOS (zip file)

Elsewhere on the Internet:

Information from Columbia University and other Authoritative Sources

• Visit the Kermit Project at Columbia University.
• Read Frequently Asked Questions about Kermit.
• Find out about Kermit 95 for Windows 95/98/Me and Windows NT/2000/XP.
• How to use Kermit file transfer over SSH.
  
  
• Kermit Project Page
• Read the Kermit News.
• Here is the MS-DOS Kermit page
• Get the Kermit 95 package with PDF documentation. (manning)
• Get the Documentation for MS-DOS Kermit.
  
  
• C-Kermit 8.0 now implements RFC-2217 serial-port sharing from Telnet under Unix or Linux.
• MS-Kermit FTP server at Utah State University (Netscape can't access; try another FTP client)
• MS-Kermit new features, including DG and Wyse emulation (USU)
• Bugs, limitations, hints and tips on MS-Kermit (updated June 1995)
  
  
• C-Kermit 7.0 (for Unix, OS/2, Stratus VOS, VMS, other platforms)
• C-Kermit Scripting Tutorial
• xtkermit (xtpanel-based pop-up menus for Unix C-Kermit)

For Protocol Programmers

A feature article by Tim Kientzle on the Kermit protocol appeared in the February 1996 issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal. An excerpt:

"Kermit's windowing approach is faster than protocols such as XModem and YModem.... What many people don't realize is that under less-than-ideal conditions, Kermit's windowing approach is significantly faster than ZModem, a protocol with a well-deserved reputation for fast transfers over good-quality lines."

If you want to understand and perhaps re-implement the Kermit protocol, you may want to read a book by Tim Kientzle, published by the Coriolis Group, The Working Programmer's Guide to Serial Protocols by Tim Kientzle. This volume discusses Kermit, Zmodem, and other protocols, and provides sample code in C++. Although now out of print, you may possibly be able to locate a copy. Select this and that to find out more.

Another reference is Kermit: A File Transfer Protocol by Frank da Cruz.

The Kermit Project also explains what a video terminal is.

For the sake of completeness, here links concerning two related data-transfer protocols:

• Blast
• Zmodem