Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!husc6!mit-eddie!ll-xn!cit-vax!ucla-cs!zen!ucbvax!AI.AI.MIT.EDU!PAP4 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 Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Distribution: world Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 23 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 unsolicitedpackets 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