QDOS TCP/IP programming in Assembler

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

So we are not too far away from Email Clients and Web Browsers...

[dilwyn]

Hi,

So we are not too far away from Email Clients and Web Browsers...

He he, not if you write (or port) them

[tofro]

I have once thought about implementing an e-Mail client using C68 and the Pointer Environment.

Implementing the raw protocols, like pop3 or map is not so difficult. The point is rather, that email is not text anymore, as it used to be - You need to build a minimum implementation of HTML, a number of different picture formats and also rtf into that client to make it really usable rather than just build a proof of concept.

That didn't sound like fun to me, so I did something else

Tobias

[dilwyn]

I have once thought about implementing an e-Mail client using C68 and the Pointer Environment.

Implementing the raw protocols, like pop3 or map is not so difficult. The point is rather, that email is not text anymore, as it used to be - You need to build a minimum implementation of HTML, a number of different picture formats and also rtf into that client to make it really usable rather than just build a proof of concept.

That didn't sound like fun to me, so I did something else

Tobias

I suppose for email it could be handled up to a fashion by stripping rtf/html down to plain text for display. Email composing would be in a text editor, with the resultant text just added to an email header. Primitive and basic, but possible and reasonably practical - it'd save time writing a "proper" editor for composing emails. We'd have to accept the limitations and the things we wouldn't be able to do.

[dilwyn]

Hi,

So we are not too far away from Email Clients and Web Browsers...

He he, not if you write (or port) them

Aaargh, sorry Derek, that should have been written as "We may be far away unless you write (or port) them."

It wasn't meant the way it got written, sorry, sorry, sorry

(Bad day... I walked away from one of those unmanned self service tills in Morrisons and left the cashback behind, needless to say it was gone by the time I realised what I'd done and went back and nobody had been honest enough to hand it in either, so anything I say and do today should be treated as randomly plain and simple wrong, hence the new "greyed out" avatar)

[stevepoole]

Today I needed to look through all the QLToday indexes on the DVD, and was impressed by the great range of QL expertise among the numerous writers. What happened?
Looking back, I realise that the only reason I bought a PC in 2004 was that I urgently needed emails and internet access.
Also I searched through all 70 microdrive cassettes for a program I wrote way back. And 30 still work on both drives! We really do need tape pads again, as that way probaby the vast majority would work after all...
SMSQ is still a great system when you compare it to the mess of PC languages used by big companies. QPC2 was great, but lacked direct internet features unfortunately. I am not complaining...I certainly would be totally incapable of writing the necessary code, but feel sure the QL community would still be very active if such a thing existed. It will be interesting to see if anything turns up. Keep up the good work!
Regards,
steve.

[NormanDunbar]

The email standard, I can't remember the rfc number, is plain text. So the QL would be able to cope. However, Microsoft, when they finally twigged to the Internet, created Outlook which defaulted to html for emails. Most computer users recommend either too dumb or unable/unwilling o change the defaults, so html became the "standard". It only takes up a lot more space than plain text after all, allows viruses to spread etc etc.

Nowadays, the problem is usually all the dammed attachments that are usually tagged onto emails. However, I suspect it should be ahem, quite simple, to build a "text only, no attachments" email client for the QL.

Famous last words?


Cheers,
Norm.

[XorA]

QL can easily handle HTML

SSL requirement for email however will be the killer!

G

[Paul]

QL can easily handle HTML

SSL requirement for email however will be the killer!

G

In order to be still able to email on our ZX81s after the last provider made SSL mandantory a friend installed a relay server that "translates" our connections to ssl connections (or did he implement a mail server without SSL?). Anyway, I'm not an expert on those things, we are using text based email on our ZX81s happily without SSL.
Kind regards
Paul

[Derek_Stewart]

Hi,

Many years ago, I used to have BBS running PBOX written by Phil Borman, which handled FidoNET mail.

I used to get an Internet NEWS feed via a FidoNET node via programme called FidoGate, which also allowed me to send email from Pbox.

So apart from the graphics insertion in the HTML email, all that would be needed is the connection and email to Fido packet handling.

With respects to a Web Browser, this could be easier, becuase text based browsing is possible with Lynx, we have attempts of Browsers in ProWesS, so al that could be needed is the connection to a web server. This looks to be easier.

However, there is no Java, but I remember Dave Walker building a Java virtual machine in C68 Called Kaffe.

So maybe the elements are there just need co-ordinating.