`Kermit 95 1.1.21 Announcement`

Newsgroups: comp.protocols.kermit.announce
From: fdc@columbia.edu (Frank da Cruz)
Subject: Announcing Kermit 95 1.1.21 with SSH and FTP
Date: 3 Apr 2002 15:21:32 -0500
Organization: Columbia University

After two years of development and 2+ months of Beta testing, Kermit 95 1.1.21 is released:

  http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/k95.html

(Be sure to clear out your Web-browser cache before looking at the updated website -- many pages have been replaced.)

In case you haven't been following the newsgroup or website, the most noteworthy new features in the new release are:

An integrated SSH v1/v2 client
Integrated FTP and HTTP clients
Automatic highlighting of URL hotspots
A new Windows-based Internet Kermit Service (NT, 2000, and XP only)

A more complete list of changes can be found here:

  http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/k95news.html

This version was, we hope, our final detour on the way to long-awaited GUI release. An essential detour, though, since SSH has become a requirement at more and more sites. Like all other SSH clients, K95's new SSH client supports public / private key and password authentication, but unlike most of the others, it also supports Kerberos 5 / GSSAPI and SRP, both of which are significantly more secure than public / private keys, especially on Windows 9x/ME with its wide-open file system.

Kermit 95 1.1.21 is available as an upgrade patch to version 1.1.20 (Beta testers: Before installing the patch, be sure to remove all Betas and Release Candidates):

  http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/k95patch.html

All new bulk right-to-copy, omnibus, and academic site license orders will be fulfilled with the new version, but the retail shrinkwrapped package still contains the 1.1.20 CDROM; those who order shrinkwrapped copies can, of course, patch up to 1.1.21 after they install 1.1.20.

Now that K95 1.1.21 is released, our top priority is to obtain a US Department of Commerce export license allowing us to ship the secure version outside the USA and Canada. Until the license is obtained, orders from outside the USA and Canada will be fulfilled by a non-secure version, as with past releases. When the license is granted, all licensees in all countries except those countries where USA law forbids, may install a security patch.

Special thanks to all the Beta testers.

Now on to the GUI! The GUI Alpha test should start within a few weeks. Everybody who registered for the 1.1.21 Beta is automatically registered for the GUI Alpha; all other registered K95 users are eligible; watch the Kermit website or newsgoups for announcments.

Thanks for sticking with K95! Let us know if you have any trouble with the patches or the new release.

Jeffrey Altman Christine Gianone
Max Evarts Frank da Cruz

The Kermit Project - Columbia University
http://www.columbia.edu/kermit/