Re:   Hoff's extensions to the 1k protocol
Date: 8/6/85
From: pst

I am writing this in support of the Hoff extensions to the 1k protocol.
Separately, Paul Homchick and Irv Hoff developed 1k protocol for XMODEM.  Irv
called his new program KMD, Paul kept the XMODEM line going.

Many of you know me personally, and know that Irv and I have a complementary/
competitive attitude towards our respective programming projects.  This should
make my comments reasonably objective.

I have tried every XMODEM protocol program available for CP/M and --MANY-- 
MS-DOS programs, and they are all (except for one exception) completely
compatible with the Hoff extensions.

	1) The Hoff extensions work.

	2) They work well. [i.e. they are transparent to non-compatible
	   programs]

	3) If you are running IMP,  1k protocol transfers become automatic.

	4) It is my dream that Ron Fowler add the extensions to Mex115, but
	   that's up to him.

I think this all-arround competition has brought about some really nice
additions to RCP/M software.
		1) The Christensen/Forsberg/Hoff 1k protocol
		2) The Hoff extensions to the 1k protocol
		3) The Traina Bye-BDOS calls in Bye337

Unforutnately, we have a disadvantage now.  There is great confusion about
XMODEM/BYE3 and KMD/BYE5.  The problem is that these sets of programs are
functionally identical (or will be as soon as the Hoff/Masters team releases
BYE501/KMD04 which use my Bye-BDOS idea).  There are minor differences between
the XMODEM/BYE3 and KMD/BYE5 series, but they are identical from a user's
standpoint.  We have programs that are duplicates,  the next step is to merge
the best of XMODEM/BYE3 and KMD/BYE5 into a single group of programs again.

However, none of us (the authors) should be the ones to make the merge, because
we have different ideas all want things done our _own_ way, which was one of
the causes of the "big split" to begin with.

I will be more than happy to assist some individual in merging this software,
but I will not do it myself,  because I feel it would just continue the split
between KMD/BYE5 and XMODEM/BYE3.  Any volenteers?

						pst / Saratoga OxGate
						408/354-5934 300/1200/2400 baud

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