Columbia University Kermit 95 Site-License Download



This page last updated: Thu Nov 21 11:05:32 2002

Kermit 95 2.1, released October 2002, runs in a GUI (Graphical User Interface) window and includes a brand-new SSH v1/v2 client and an all-new secure, scriptable FTP client, as well as a Kerberos V Telnet client, all preconfigured for safe, secure connections to Columbia's secure Cunix servers. All Columbia students, faculty, and staff may download the new release from this page.


CONTENTS


Introduction

Kermit 95 is Columbia University's own secure communications software for Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP on Intel and compatible PC platforms, supporting both serial connections (dialed or direct) and network connections (SSH, Telnet, and Rlogin), and offering terminal emulation, file transfer, and international character-set translation, plus the ability to automate any procedures that can be done by hand using its built-in scripting language, which is compatible with that of C-Kermit and MS-DOS Kermit. The major new features of version 2.0 are its GUI features, SSH client, and FTP client, Version 2.1 is a minor update that features some improvements in screen resizing and the built-in FTP client.

If you are upgrading from K95 1.1.20 or earlier, note that newer versions have a new directory layout, described HERE.

You can use Kermit 95 to access shell (text-based) accounts such as those on our Cunix servers for email (with Pine, MM, VMM), news reading and posting (with Trn, Tin, Slrn, Pine), text editing (with EMACS, Pico, VI, EDT, Xedit), programming (in C, C++, Java, Perl, LISP, Fortran, shell, Kermit, or other languages), typesetting (with TeX, LaTeX, Scribe, Troff), data analysis (with SAS, SPSS, Minitab, S-Plus, Stata), or any other text-based activity. You can also use Kermit 95 to access the text-based version of CLIO Plus: Columbia Libraries Information Online. Kermit 95 can access these resources via:

While accessing these hosts and services, K95 automatically highlights URLs so you can conveniently Ctrl-Click them to activate them in your Web browser.

Kermit 95 is a product of The Kermit Project, Academic Information Systems, Columbia University. Of course all students, faculty, and staff of Columbia University are licensed to use it. This web page allows you to download Kermit 95 to any computer on the Columbia network, including the Morningside Campus, the Health Sciences Campus, the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Barnard College, and Teachers College.

For file transfer, Kermit 95 works in conjunction with C-Kermit, which is available on our Unix servers (Cunix) as "kermit", and should also be available on most departmental Unix and VMS systems (and if not, may be downloaded and installed). It also works in conjunction with IBM Mainframe Kermit on CUVMB and CUVMC, as well as with any other Kermit software that might (or can) be installed on departmental minis, PCs, etc. (More about this below.)

The Kermit 95 software you will be downloading is preregistered and preconfigured for Columbia University. The Dialing Directory contains the Columbia University dialup numbers, and various Columbia dialup and Telnet targets are included in the Dialer menu. You may use this software on campus, at home, or from a laptop while traveling. You may not furnish copies of it to people who are not students, faculty, or staff of Columbia, TC, or Barnard, nor may you place it on any server that is publicly accessible from outside Columbia, or redistribute in any other fashion.

For an overview of Kermit 95, see:

For an overview the Kermit Project, see:

For a tutorial on safe computing with Kermit 95, see:


UPGRADE

You can upgrade your current K95 version to 2.1 if you wish but we recommend that you install a whole new version (next section) in order to get the new Columbia-specific security certificates and host keys, which are not included in the general-purpose non-Columbia-specific upgrade package. The sizes and procedures are about the same in either case.

Should you prefer to upgrade, you can CLICK HERE to obtain the upgrade. After you go through the export control pages, download the "USA and Canada" version, then run it to install the upgrade. It won't interfere with your current customizations or Kerberos configuration.


NEW OR REPLACEMENT INSTALLATION

To install K95 2.1 as a new application:
  1. Click the button . . .
    to download the K95 2.1 install package (approximately 11MB). Specify any existing temporary directory on your hard disk (e.g. C:\TMP) as the target.

  2. Close all your applications.
  3. Uninstall your current Kermit 95 version:
    My Computer → Control Panel → Add or Remove Programs → Kermit 95 x.x → Remove.
    Note that removing your previous K95 version does not remove your customizations.
  4. Restart your PC. This is necessary if you have used Kermit 95 since the last time you started Windows.
  5. Execute the install package (k95cu.exe). You can run it in any of the normal ways:

    • Your browser might give you an option to run it in its download dialog; or:
    • Double-click on its desktop icon; or:
    • Choose Run in the Start menu; or:
    • Enter a Command window, CD to the temporary directory, and type "k95cu".

Running k95cu.exe starts the InstallShield procedure. Just follow its instructions:

Note that when you upgrade or remove an old version and install a new one, your Kerberos configuration is not disturbed. In case you want to refresh your Kerberos configuration, you can download the following files from Cunix, renaming as indicated:

/etc/krb.conf       C:\WINDOWS\KRB.CON
/etc/krb.realms     C:\WINDOWS\KRBREALM.CON
/etc/krb5.conf      C:\WINDOWS\KRB5.INI

If you previously had K95 1.1.20 or earlier installed, you'll need to migrate your customizations from the old single-user directory structure to the new Windows-style multiuser one by following the instructions HERE.


Getting Updates

Kermit 95 is updated periodically to fix bugs and add features. Watch the Kermit newsgroup: for announcements, or check the Kermit 95 web page periodically:


Documentation

Kermit 95 documentation consists of:

You can also find the supplements in your Kermit 95 DOCS subdirectory.

Using C-Kermit should be available in 102 Philosophy Hall and at any of the neighborhood book stores, such as Papyrus.


CUVMB Access

Kermit 95 presently does not provide direct full-screen (3270) access to IBM mainframes such as CUVMB, the academic VM/CMS system. You can use Kermit 95 to access CUVMB via: 3270 emulation will be added to Kermit 95 in a future release.


Other Kermit Software Versions

The Kermit 95 CU download is only for Microsoft Windows. If you need the OS/2 version, send us e-mail.

Kermit software is available from Kermit Project for a wide variety of other platforms too: Unix (already installed on our Cunix servers), VMS, DOS, PDP-11s, hundreds of others. All of these may be downloaded, including:


If you have problems or questions . . .

Send email to:

Also see:


Kermit 95 Site License / Columbia University / kermit@columbia.edu / October 2002