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Re: Any good introductions for Kermit?

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On 2025-04-23, John Goerzen <jgoerzen@complete.org> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I seem to have picked the right day to look in on this group, which I do
> irregularly.
>
> Replies below.
>
> On 2025-04-23, Borax Man <rotflol2@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> I've stumbled accross a suggestion that Kermit can be good for file transfers.
>>
>> https://dataswamp.org/~solene/2019-01-31-kermit.html
>>
>> This works well, if you SSH within kermit, and I've tried it
>> sucessfully.  But there is a way, supposedly, to run kermit as a
>> 'server'.
>
> Yes, it's called IKSD.  It's fun to play around with, but lacks modern TLS and
> such.
>

I have it mostly working, though just on my private network for now.  I
recall seeing Kermit back when I used BBS's, which is why I was curious
about it now.

>>
>> I've followed the instructions here
>> https://www.complete.org/how-to-run-an-internet-kermit-server/
>>
>> To start a server, which works.  Sort of, I can login as anonymous, but get
>> ?Access to system disabled
>> when I try any commands.
>>
>> The same happens when trying "the last kermit server"
>> https://www.complete.org/try-the-last-internet-kermit-server/
>
> I run that server, and tried it just now.
>
> I tried dir, cd, get, pwd, and so forth.  They all worked.  File downloads
> worked (note, you use the SEND, not GET, to do these because you're sending
> commands to the remote kermit).
>
> Things like ls, which map directly to local programs, won't work.  Run "help ls"
> and "help dir" to note the difference between them.  dir is a kermit built-in;
> ls is a call to an external program.
>

It stumbled across your site which got me interested in kermit, and I've
been looking at NNCP as I may have a use case for it.  Older
technologies seem to have solved problems that people are reinventing
solutions for now.

You are right, I was using the wrong commands and its working now.  It
seems so obvious now why I would not be able to necessarily run remote
commands!  Thank you.

>> I'm doing this purely out of interest, its not imperitave that it get it
>> up and running.  I'm just looking for some good introductory
>> documentation where I can begin to troubleshot this, and perhaps figure
>> out how to get PAM authentication and/or TLS working.
>
> https://www.complete.org/how-to-run-an-internet-kermit-server/ will link you to
> the IKSD documentation that exists.  It was always a bit obscure so there's
> nothing great out there.
>
> I wouldn't bother trying to get TLS working; kermit's TLS is from an earlier era
> and doesn't really support modern TLS.  You could put a TLS proxy in front of it
> (eg, stunnel).
>
> There are some good Kermit books out there, which you can find used on various
> places.  There's a PDF at https://www.kermitproject.org/ck90.html , but also
> check out https://www.kermitproject.org/booksonline.html for more.
>
> - John

Appreciate your help, and your work keeping this knowledge around.

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Thread

Any good introductions for Kermit? Borax Man <rotflol2@hotmail.com> - 2025-04-23 12:14 +0000
  Re: Any good introductions for Kermit? John Goerzen <jgoerzen@complete.org> - 2025-04-23 13:06 +0000
    Re: Any good introductions for Kermit? Borax Man <rotflol2@hotmail.com> - 2025-04-24 14:09 +0000
      Re: Any good introductions for Kermit? John Goerzen <jgoerzen@complete.org> - 2025-04-25 17:14 +0000
  Re: Any good introductions for Kermit? David Goodwin <david+usenet@zx.net.nz> - 2025-04-24 13:50 +1200
    Re: Any good introductions for Kermit? Borax Man <rotflol2@hotmail.com> - 2025-04-24 14:30 +0000
      Re: Any good introductions for Kermit? David Goodwin <david+usenet@zx.net.nz> - 2025-04-25 13:07 +1200

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