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Skip the announcements

See the announcement here. Kermit software and documentation remain available at the Kermit website and archive, as always, but with changes described here. C-Kermit and E-Kermit have been published with an Open Source license and the source code for Kermit 95 (except for portions to which Columbia does not have publication rights) have been too. Kermit 95 executables and install packages will not be distributed in a free and open manner because they include strong encryption, whose export is controlled by the United States Government.* For Kermit customers who cannot use open source licenses, and would like to continue to purchase copies of the software as they have previously done, please contact techventures@columbia.edu and mention Kermit in the subject line. Technical support is no longer available from Columbia University effective July 1, 2011. The pages of the Kermit website have been updated to reflect the new support and licensing status of the Kermit software. See the Transition Roadmap (button just below) for the latest and most accurate information.

*	Kermit 95 can become free open-source software; the job is already half done. If you are a Windows programmer, feel free to join the effort; CLICK HERE for details.

The Kermit Project

On 29 April 2011 the Kermit Project turned 30 years old, initiated at Columbia in 1981 as a way to set up microcomputers as terminals to our central mainframes and allow files to be transferred reliably back and forth so students could archive their files on floppy diskettes (read history here). Since then, as one of the world's first distributed volunteer-based software development projects, Kermit has evolved into an all-purpose cross-platform tool for transport-independent text-mode communication, file transfer and management, and automation. [Read more...]

Kermit software versions

All Kermit software programs are built around the Kermit File-Transfer Protocol designed at Columbia in 1981 and refined and extended over the years, which allows two software programs on each end of a communication connection to transfer both text and binary files correctly and completely [Read more...]  In addition, many Kermit programs also make connections over various communication media and act as a terminal. And in many cases they also include a built-in programming language to allow any communication procedure, any dialog, and any file-transfer or -management task to be fully automated.

The most popular Kermit programs are listed in the table below. Unless otherwise noted, all of these can make TCP/IP network connections (clear-text or secured by Kerberos IV, Kerberos V, or SSL/TLS), direct serial-port connections, and dialed modem connections, and can accept incoming connections of all these types. They can conduct interactive terminal sessions. They can transfer files with Kermit or FTP protocol. Those that can make Internet connections support the Telnet, Rlogin, FTP, and HTTP protocols unless otherwise noted. Their operation can be automated using the script programming language. And they can convert among a wide variety of text character sets in both terminal sessions and file transfer. [Read more...]

Resources

The Kermit Project / Columbia University / kermit@columbia.edu / 30 September 2011 / Updated: Sat Jul 31 19:43:07 2021