[ih] KA9Q and Gandalf Technologies

[Brian E Carpenter]

On 2019-02-19 11:34, Lyndon Nerenberg wrote:
> Tony Finch writes:
> 
>> I was wondering what effect KA9Q had on low-end adoption. I turned up
>> later, but I remember stories from early (1992 ish) dial-up commercial
>> Internet users who relied on KA9Q.
> 
> A (perhaps) little known historical side note, Gandalf Technologies
> (makers of the infamous PACX), licensed Phil's code to use as the
> basis of their attempt to move from serial terminal<->host multiplexing
> (the PACX was just a big RS-232 crossbar switch) to gaining a
> foothold in the rapidly evolving TCP-based terminal server space.

They never had a chance. Everybody wanted a Mac, PC or NCD on their desk,
not a dumb terminal, by the time they came by trying to sell what was
basically telnet support, iirc.

We had quite a few PACXen at CERN, but they were ripped out as fast as
we installed Cheapernet.

    Brian

> Sadly, the company never made the transition.  But, before their
> demise, their line driver modems connected a hell of a lot of remote
> terminals and RJE stations to mainframes and mini's all across
> Canada (at least).
> 
> --lyndon
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