Digital Equipment Corporation's PDP-11 was (and is) a 16-bit mini- or microcomputer used in applications ranging from embedded device control to general-purpose timesharing. Several different Kermit programs are available for the PDP-11.
Kermit-11 is the Kermit software for Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-11 operating systems: RT-11, RSX-11, RSTS/E, IAS, P/OS, and (not a DEC OS) TSX+. Kermit-11 was written by Brian Nelson of the University of Toledo, Ohio, circa 1984-89, in PDP-11 assembly language, Macro-11. Separate programs, listed below, are available for other PDP-11 operating systems like UNIX and MUMPS.
The Kermit-11 source code is available at our ftp site in the kermit/b subdirectory as k11*.mac, and you can find prebuilt-binaries for various operating systems and configurations in kermit/bin/, as k11*.tsk or k11*.sav. If you are unfamiliar with FTP, or have problems with it, READ THIS. There are also various utilities -- hex encoders and decoders, etc -- written Macro-11, Fortran, and Basic in the kermit/b directory, along with all the Kermit-11 text files, whose names all start with "k11".
Kermit-11 can operate in either remote or local mode; that is, it can transfer files when it is on the far end, and it can make connections and enter terminal mode (and transfer files) when it is on the "near end".
The documentation for Kermit-11 is based on Brian's last release (please note that the ".doc" extension was used for plain-text documentation files since long before Microsoft existed, so if your Browser thinks it's some kind of rich-text document that needs a helper application to read it, tell it to just load it directly as plain text, no helper needed).
Installation instructions are also available:
There are separate versions of Kermit-11 for each DEC OS, plus distinct Kermit programs for other PDP-11 operating systems. Originally all the Kermit-11 programs were all built from a common code base. After Brian moved on, some of the Kermit-11 versions took on separate identities that, we hope, will someday be brought back into alignment. The PDP-11 Kermit programs are:
Name Description k11.tsk Kermit-11 3.60 for RSTS/E 8.0 or later, linked to RMSRES k11id.tsk As above but with I&D space k11nrs.tsk RSTS, but not linked with RMSRES krtid.tsk A test 3.62 version for RSTS, requires I&D space k11idm.tsk Kermit-11 3.60 for RSX11M+ or Micro/RSX with I&D Space k11pos.tsk Kermit-11 3.60 For RSX11M+, Micro/RSX, or P/OS, might also work on RSX 3.x. k11rsx.tsk Kermit-11 3.60 for RSX, not linked with RMSRES k11sml.tsk Kermit-11 3.60 RSX11M, small executable, tightly overlaid k11i31.tsk Kermit-11 3.60 for IAS 3.1 k11ias.tsk Kermit-11 3.60 for IAS k11xm.sav Kermit-11 3.60 for RT-11XM and TSX+. k11rt4.sav Kermit-11 3.60 for RT-11FB and TSX+. krt.sav Kermit-11 3.63 for RT-11FB/SB/SJ and TSX+. krtmin.sav Kermit-11 3.62 for RT-11FB/SB/SJ minimal version krttsx.sav Kermit-11 3.63 for RT-11XB/XM/ZB/ZM and TSX+.
Native media -- RX01, RX50, RK05, DECtape, who knows what else -- might be available from the DECUS library (if it still exists), 219 Boston Post Road, BP02, Marlboro, MA 01752-1850. Write, or call (800) 332-8755, or send Internet e-mail to decuslibrary@decus.org for further info.
When you can't get PDP-11 Kermit on native media, you will have to find a way to "bootstrap" the appropriate hexified binary onto your PDP-11, along with the dehexifying program, and then use the latter to decode the former (next section).
For example in RT-11, get the following files in text mode:
Name Bytes Description krtmin.abs 1122 A short abstract describing KRTMIN krtmin.doc 4032 Documentation (krt.doc is the complete version if need be) krtmin.hex 135937 A HEX encoded copy of the Kermit executable image krtmin.hlp 45137 The HELP command text file krtmin.ini 185 A sample init file krthex.mac 9836 The HEX to executable image conversion program (Macro-11)
And then read the instructions are at the top of the krthex.mac file.
Here are the "hex" encoded (i.e. printable text) versions of the executable programs. They are useful if you don't have any way to get binary files onto your PDP-11. Hex files can be "bootstrapped", sent by email, etc.
Name Bytes Corresponding binary Description k11.hex 286848 Corresponds to k11.tsk. RSTS/E 8.0 or later, RMSRES k11i31.hex 199296 Corresponds to k11i31.tsk. IAS 3.1 k11nrs.hex 441216 Corresponds to k11nrs.tsk. RSTS/E 8.0 or later, no RMSRES k11pos.hex 270720 Corresponds to k11pos.tsk. RSX11M, MicroRSX, P/OS k11rsx.hex 361728 Corresponds to k11rsx.tsk. RSX, no RMSRES k11rt4.hex 229248 Corresponds to k11rt4.sav. RT-11RB or TSX+ k11xm.hex 233856 Corresponds to k11xm.sav. RT-11XM, TSX+. krt.hex 236161 Corresponds to krt.sav. RT-11FB/SB/SJ, TSX+. krtmin.hex 135937 Corresponds to krtmin.sav. RT-11FB/SB/SJ minimal version krttsx.hex 243073 Corresponds to krttsx.sav. RT-11XB/XM/ZB/ZM, TSX+.
Programs for "dehexifying" the hex files (i.e. converting them back to their original binary executable format) are:
Name Bytes Description k11hex.bas 2525 RSTS/E 8.0 or later Basic-Plus k11hex.b2s 2735 VAX Basic and PRO/Basic k11hex.ftn 3827 Fortran-77 for RSX, RSTS, and RT-11. k11hex.mac 4042 Macro-11 for RT-11.
Note: .HLP and .DOC are original 1960s and -70s DEC filetypes. If your browser insists on treating them as Windows Help or Microsoft Word documents, your browser lacks a sense of history.
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