[ih] what's a level

[Jorge Amodio via Internet-history]

Hi Eberhard,

yes uucp was used to copy/transfer files between unix boxes, uuxqt was the
one used to send a command to execute on the remote system, actually it was
also a file transfer but processed in a different way on the receiving end.
The magic daemon performing the communication was uucico (Copy In Copy
Out,) different implementations of uucico including various transfer
protocols (which at the time we also talking about uucp protocol but it was
sort of a family,) one of them was tailored for transfers via X.25
networks, there was one using TCP/IP as transport, various versions
optimized to take advantage of the Telebit PEP Trailblazer modems, etc.

Part of the initial negotiation phase on uucico was to set the protocol,
like protocol "f" was a 7-bit used on X.25, "t" was for TCP links, "g" as
far as I remember was for packet drivers, etc.

We used uucp very extensively in those days, even for the project I was
involved in to build a global network for the Argentinean Ministry of
Foreign Affairs with all its embassies and consulates.
To be honest, uucp with all its limitations and dealing the the local
varieties of telco services around the world, ended being more effective
and more fun than  Telex :-)

Cheers
Jorge


On Thu, Nov 7, 2019 at 8:54 AM Dr Eberhard W Lisse <el at lisse.na> wrote:

> Jorge,
>
> while the name is correct UUCP was not only a file copy mechanism, it also
> allowed execution of programs on the remote side (uux if I am not
> mistaken).  That made pushing mails around possible.
>
> It also allowed for batching and compressing and feeding mail into a
> rudimentary smail, or even into sendmail (brrrr!!!).
>
> And when Taylor UUCP came along, sliding windows, longer packages and some
> other stuff made this darn efficient. It can also run over TCP but that’s
> rather counterproductive unless you use dialup. I am still very fond of
> UUCP and even though Imam not using it any more I keep it on my computers
> (like kermit).
>
> Btw, there was a thread about UUCP last year with Subject: [ih] Early
> Internet history <http://004681.html>
>
> el
>
> —
> Sent from Dr Lisse’s iPad Mini 5
> On 7 Nov 2019, 07:53 -0500, Jorge Amodio , wrote:
>
>
> Actually UUCP was a file copy-transfer utility.
>
> UUCP = Unix to Unix CoPy
>
> In Argentina we started a major academic network using UUCP taking
> advantage of a MSDOS implementation called at the time UUPC.
>
> Our first gateway to the “Internet” was “seismo” managed by Rick Adams,
> which later became “uunet”
>
> I was for some time uunet!atina!pete :-)
>
> -Jorge
>
> On Nov 6, 2019, at 2:01 PM, John Levine <johnl at iecc.com> wrote:
>
> In article <
> CAHxHggdmxtQOJdgmgrdLQkXe1QdrOOVd8jFea0p0mtPKCqahuA at mail.gmail.com> you
> write:
>
> i think a lot of the interconnections were application layer gateways -
> such as email relays.
> Early USENET wasn't Internet if by this we mean TCP/IP based. UUCP was't
> using TCP/IP ...
>
>
> UUCP was a message forwarding transport protocol, USENET was (and is)
> a distributed bulletin board system. UUCP was mostly over dialup
> phone modems but I have heard claims that there is still the
> occasional UUCP over TCP.
>
> From the beginning, we used UUCP for other applications, notably e-mail,
> and USENET used other transports, ranging from LANs to mag tapes sent
> by mail (and I don't mean e-mail.)
>
> R's
> John L, cca!ima!johnl
> --
> Internet-history mailing list
> Internet-history at elists.isoc.org
> https://elists.isoc.org/mailman/listinfo/internet-history
>
> --
> Internet-history mailing list
> Internet-history at elists.isoc.org
> https://elists.isoc.org/mailman/listinfo/internet-history
>
>
-- 
Internet-history mailing list
Internet-history at elists.isoc.org
https://elists.isoc.org/mailman/listinfo/internet-history