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From: PAP4@AI.AI.MIT.EDU ("Philip A. Prindeville")
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: RLP
Message-ID: <233180.870727.PAP4@AI.AI.MIT.EDU>
Date: Mon, 27-Jul-87 02:54:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: AI.233180.870727.PAP4
Posted: Mon Jul 27 02:54:18 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 28-Jul-87 01:03:59 EDT
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Yes, I wrote an RLP server for the FTP Software, Inc. `PC/TCP' package.
I spoke to Mike Acceta when I wrote it, and apparently, we are the only
implementors of it.  It hasn't proved very popular.

One extension we discussed was to add unsolicited  packets for
(non-RLP) servers wishing to advertise their services.  For instance, a
domain name server might send out a periodic broadcast " RLP"
query, then send to the servers from that answer a message "
DOMAIN" reply.

The servers that strictly follow the spec will discard this as being a
bogus packet (and hopefully not crash); a smart server might save this
info and use it later.

I like the protocol.  I'm suprised it hasn't been accepted.  It's
not Clearinghouse, but then it didn't try to be.  When I have some time,
I will do an implementation for 4.3BSD...

It would be really neat if (on UNIX) you didn't need /etc/printcap to
list all the various local printers, but could use RLP to locate a
printer with suitable qualities...  Real Soon Now.

-Philip