[MLB-WIRELESS] Automatic networking, from Apple Open Source

Clae clae at tpg.com.au
Fri Sep 27 01:51:40 EST 2002


I've been keeping an eye on this for a while.  Apple announced 
Rendezvous as part of the latest release of its Unix based OS. 
Rendezvous is a protocol for automated discovery and connection of 
network devices.  There were early rumours that this would go 
open-source and cross-platform, and here's the official announcement.

While this is possibly tangential to where MW is at right now, it 
certainly has medium-to-long-range implications for setting up 
user-friendly networks.

Clae.

http://www.macobserver.com/article/2002/09/25.8.shtml

[3:15 PM CDT]
Apple Officially Releases Rendezvous As "Open Source"

Apple has announced that it will officially release Rendezvous as 
Open Source ... five large corporations had adopted Rendezvous for 
their product lines ... Microsoft, Linux developers, and all manner 
of manufacturers will be able to incorporate the technology into 
their products.

Rendezvous, based on open Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) 
Standard Protocols such as IP, ARP and DNS, uses industry standard 
networking protocols and zero configuration technology to 
automatically discover and connect devices over any IP network, such 
as Ethernet or 802.11-based wireless networks like Apple's Airport®. 
Major developers such as Canon, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark, 
Philips, Sybase, World Book and Xerox have announced support for 
Rendezvous in a broad range of products ...

"Rendezvous is a major innovation in IP networking that creates 
dynamic networks of computers, devices and software applications with 
zero user configuration," ...

...The Rendezvous source code includes software to support UNIX, 
Linux, and Windows-based systems and devices. Rendezvous support is 
built into Mac® OS X version 10.2 "Jaguar" ....

...Apple is working closely with the IETF Zeroconf Working Group to 
help develop zero configuration IP networking technology and is 
submitting Rendezvous as an open standard as part of the ongoing IETF 
standardization process.

Starting today, developers can download Rendezvous as open source 
under the Apple Public Source License from 
http://www.opensource.apple.com/projects/rendezvous . Rendezvous is 
part of a broader open source release today from Apple at 
http://developer.apple.com/Darwin which includes the Darwin 6.0.1 
operating system and additional Open Directory plug-ins. ...

The Mac Observer Spin: This is a win-win situation for Apple, and the 
computing world as well. The only folks who stand to lose are those 
who make their living managing networks. Rendezvous, if implemented 
universally, would mean a near-revolutionary change in the way 
devices interact with each other, and their users interact with their 
computers.

-- 
David Clae Gason, Secretary, Melbourne Wireless
mailto:secretary at wireless.org.au  http://melbourne.wireless.org.au

"God picks up the reed-flute world and blows.  Each note is a need coming
through one of us, a passion, a longing-pain. Remember the lips where
the wind-breath originated, and let your note be clear. Don't try to end it.
BE YOUR NOTE."	-Rumi, The Mathnawi


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