Windows sockets


Windows sockets

(networking, standard)(Winsock) A specification forMicrosoft Windows network software, describing howapplications can access network services, especially TCP/IP.Winsock is intended to provide a single API to whichapplication developers should program and to which multiplenetwork software vendors should conform. For any particularversion of Microsoft Windows, it defines a binary interface(ABI) such that an application written to the WindowsSockets API can work with a conformant protocolimplementation from any network software vendor.

Winsock was conceived at Fall Interop '91 during a Birds of a Feather session.

Windows Sockets is supported by Microsoft Windows, Windows for Workgroups, Win32s, Windows 95 and Windows NT. Itwill support protocols other than TCP/IP. Under Windows NT, Microsoft will provide Windows Sockets support overTCP/IP and IPX/SPX. DEC will be implementingDECNet. Windows NT will include mechanisms for multipleprotocol support in Windows Sockets, both 32-bit and 16 bit.

Mark Towfiq said, "The next rev. of Winsock will not be untiltoward the end of 1993. We need 1.1 of the API to becomefirmly settled and implemented first."

Windows Sockets API.or ftp://microdyne.com/pub/winsock or send a message"help" to either or.

Windows Sockets specification.

Currently NetManage (NEWT), Distinct, FTP and Frontier areshipping Winsock TCP/IP stacks, as is Microsoft (WindowsNT and TCP/IP for WFW), Beame & Whiteside Software (v1.1compliant), and Sun PC-NFS. Windows 95 has "dial-upnetworking" which supports Winsock and TCP/IP.

winsock.dll is available from some TCP/IP stack vendors.Novell has one in beta for their Lan Workplace for DOS.

Peter Tattam isalpha-testing a shareware Windows Sockets compliant TCP/IPstack ftp://ftp.utas.edu.au/pc/trumpet/winsock/winsock.zip.and ftp://ftp.utas.edu.au/pc/trumpet/winsock/winpkt.com.

The Consummate Winsock App List.

[Adapted from: Aboba, Bernard D., comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpcFrequently Asked Questions, 1993 Usenet: news:news.answers,ftp://netcom1.netcom.com/pub/mailcom/IBMTCP/].