Date   : Fri, 17 Sep 1999 12:23:29 +0100
From   : C.J.Thornley@...
Subject: TCP/IP

You don't actually need an ip stack on a BBC. I have a old basic program
which allows a serial connection to a VAX machine.

So I was thinking along these lines. The only practical use of a stack on a
BBC would be to use telnet to connect to another account. What could be
used instead is a standard Prestel/Videotex 1200/75 link to a PC with a
standard comm program. On the PC would be a app which will intercept calls
from a terminal on the PC serial port and send the user a option to log
onto a service from there it would telnet to an account and feed the VT200
display to the BBC. File transfer from the account to the BBC could take
place by xmodem. The accounts a Linux account ftp, new groups by tin and
even mail and web by lynx could be possible.

All you need is a little app that will transfer information on the PC. As
far as gaming is concerned a similar situation could be adopted as UNIX
treats writing to ports as if it was writing to a file.

The was a app on hensa before the disasterous reorganisation of the service
that converted tcp out port on a port and address to serial output where it
could be redirected else where and if the same program was working on
another PC it could translate this back to tcp/ip effectively allowing
tcp/ip--->Serial   Serial----->TCP/ip and as the name suggest the apps
called TCP to serial.

If there was a true tcp/ip stack for the beeb use-net access would probably
be memory hungry as there are a lot more message headers to a new group
than there use to be. ftp is only practical if you had an harddrive.
emial's OK to send but on receiving check s have to be made for big files
and attachments as they could effectively cripple a machine due to memory
restrictions. Web would be impossible useless something like lynx is
implemented.

As anybody any ideas if a Radio packet modem tcp/ip stack exists for the
BBC??

Chris