In the late 1980’s, building on the work of Geoff Cooper and many others, I produced a ground-breaking TCP/IP implementation for DOS called WATTCP. It could fit in TSRs (25kB), it could be linked into user applications where it could offer almost full fast Ethernet performance, and it offered a standardized configuration mechanism. It was later incorporated into the world’s most popular communications package of the time, MS-KERMIT, and was even used on the International Space Station. Also, connected with industry-leading Pegasys Emailer, PINE KLOS’s game technology, and others, it was used by millions of people to connect to the Internet. Symantec used it for the Ghost software to populate workstations with Windows over TCP/IP networks.
In 1998 I documented WATTCP in the WATTCP Manual, my first book. It was later updated by an accomplished technical writer whose name I am sorry to have forgotten.
Gisle Vinum extended WATTCP to 32 bits, calling it Watt-32. Original WATTCP apps could be recompiled or one could use BSD-styled sockets. Very impressive. It provides networking for the Arcane web browser, a DOS Java VM, and others.
In the 1990’s I produced eRTOS and the eRTOS manual. I was not really a real time OS, but it was an embedded OS that could be used to house web servers, SNMP systems, and much more. It was used on many embedded 386 systems, such as those produced by JK Micro Systems.
Over the years I have implemented so many network protocols that it’s hard to remember them all.
I wrote a TELNET server for DOS in 1999 called Everywhere Access for Supro Network Software Inc. It was like PC-Anywhere or Microsoft RDP, except that it let you TELNET into a DOS computer. We took that multiuser in the 1990’s with up to 100 concurrent users running DOS software using OS/2 as the virtualization engine. People talk about VMs now, we were doing it en-masse in 1990. It was used by the IRS, insurance companies and many others to remotely access CD-ROM software over the Internet. Edify used both the DOS and the OS/2 software to automate workflows.
I wrote a VOIP implementation, emergency notification systems, LDAP and RADIUS servers and clients, SMS based texting systems, countless web server applications.
I implemented a web filtering application which let corporations reject Web usage of inappropriate sites (I agreed before I know why they were doing it).
I implemented asset management systems where Apple OS X and Windows stations submit their particulars and software assets, and the server uses open source iTop to manage the data.
I’m currently working on my third book. It’s about how to make of modern web applications with certain technologies.
My work has been referenced in three books to my knowledge:
· Undocumented DOS 2nd Ed.
· Idiot’s Guide to the Internet
· MS-Kermit