From: Greg Ferguson <rtmd30@email.sps.mot.com>
Subject: Re: Setting Up a Mac FTP Server
X-Xxdate: Wed, 2 Sep 92 08:11:24 GMT
Organization: Motorola, Inc.
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d9
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 23:09:36 GMT

Subject: Re: Setting Up a Mac FTP Server
From: Rob Trevor, robt@agsm.unsw.oz.au
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 23:31:56 GMT
In article <robt-270892091002@robt.agsm.unsw.edu.au> Rob Trevor,
robt@agsm.unsw.oz.au writes: 
>In article <1992Aug25.180724.27962@newsgate.sps.mot.com>,
>gregf@shaman.sps.mot.com (Greg Ferguson) wrote:
>> 
>> ...
>> I've been testing both ASC's FTPShare and Peter Lewis' FTPd.
>> ...
>> 
>> ASC's FTPShare has a nice interface. I've been working with them for
the last  
>> several months on bug fixes. Currently I'm testing their software on a
 
>> production IIci with the same software that the IIfx is running. I'm
seeing  
>> some sessions hang during FTP sessions with our VM FTP client. (I
haven't  
>> gotten a handle on the problem yet). We've had a series of small
problems with  
>> FTPShare since I began testing, most of the problems appear to have
been the  
>> result of design choices that they made. They designed the daemon to
work with  
>> their FTP client, but the daemon didn't work well with Fetch or
HyperFTP.  
>> Their's is fast, but not as flexible for setting up the accounts. An
account  
>> can have either read, write or read/write access to all folders. That
isn't  
>> flexible enough for what I need. (I haven't addressed that issue to
them yet).  
>> Their support is a bit slow. You have to address them via AppleLink
and they  
>> usually don't acknowledge your message so you wonder if they got it.
They have  
>> been pretty good about bug fixes though.

First, I'd like to clear up my statements about ASC's support. They are
as responsive as email/AppleLink across international boundaries allow.
Generally, responses are within two working days. I am used to dealing
with domestic sources for tech. help, so a 24 to 36 hour delay is very
hard to tolerate when used to calling a phone number and getting a
technician. The international email imposes a delay that I'm still
learning to handle. So, I want the record clear that using either
package, FTPd or FTPShare, will mean a longer delay for technical
answers because of the distances involved.

>However, I'm afraid I must totally disagree with you on the flexibility
of
>setting up accounts.  FTPShare is much more configurable than you seem to
>have realised.  My server is set up to give me (owner) read/write access
to
>all mounted volumes, to give individual co-authors read/write access to
>their particular sub-folder trees, to give my secretary read/write access
>to her sub-folder tree, to give certain users write only access to an
>incoming directory and to give anonymous users read only access to a
public
>folder.  Since it supports aliases, I only need to drop an alias of the
>file/folder I wish to share into the relevant folder.  This is a lot more
>functionality than you refer to above.

We require the ability to duplicate the structure and access rights of an
existing AppleShare server. Users have to be able to r/w some folders,
write-
only others and read-only some different folders. Guests can r/w the guest
folder and read-only the public folder. This functionality I haven't been
able to duplicate in FTPShare, but FTPd did it without any special
configuration.

>
>Perhaps you have the earlier incarnation of their server which relied on
>their TCPack product?  The version (released June 92) I'm running is
stand
>alone.  If you want a demo that version you can pick it up from your
>favourite archive site (or from my machine if you really want to).
>

Because I've been working with ASC on bug-fixes, I have more recent
versions of the software than are currently available on-line at SUMEX.
(My version is dated August 7, '92.)  You will get the revision I have
only by specially request to ASC.

*****

To those lurking in the shadows and listening, Rob Trevor is probably
responsible for generating the idea of FTP daemons for standard Macs.
What we had a year ago was restricted to single user sessions via Telnet
or TCP/Connect or one of those types of products. Rob's questions on the
internet caught my eye and we exchanged messages as did Piet and Killko
(ASC/FTPShare) and Peter Lewis (Curtin Univ./FTPd). I'd like to say
thanks to these people because Macs can now integrate AppleShare and FTP
servers into one box. Cool!

Regards,

Greg

gregf@shaman.sps.mot.com
rtmd30@email.sps.mot.com
=========================================================
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