The latest version of this read me file is available at http://www.douwere.com/shareware/td/
ToolDaemon makes your MacOS computer remotely accessible to authorized users, from any platform, through any Telnet client.
Indeed, your MacOS computer becomes a true multi-threaded, multi-user environment, where logged users can simultaneously take *any* action on the system.
To achieve this, ToolDaemon needs some help from ToolServer, a very nice program from Apple Computer, Inc.
Installation
The installer installs all the required files in the “ToolDaemon folder” on the selected disk. If you ever need more scripts and/or more tools for ToolDaemon, visit the apple developer tools page at http://developer.apple.com/tools/ .
To uninstall, just drag the folder to the trash.
 
To allow a user (defined in the “Users and Groups” control panel) to log in its own environment...
 
...open the “Users” subfolder, inside the “ToolDaemon folder”, make a copy of the “@ user session” item and, rename the copy with the user name.
 
Tip : to save RAM and disk space, you can choose to make an alias of the “@ user session” item. The specified user will then log in a shared environment... but this may bring confusion when such users are simultaneously logged in.
Security warning: the passwords entered during a telnet session are not encrypted; so you may consider it safer to only accept network users.
Logging in
Be sure you are connected to a TCP/IP network. Launch ToolDaemon on the Macintosh. The “ToolDaemon Options” window appears.
Note : You need to register the application to avoid the options window at startup.
 
Click OK to validate the default settings. The “ToolDaemon Status” window appears.
 
Remember the IP address (nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn) and launch a telnet client to connect! Of course, you can use the same computer to run ToolDaemon and the separate required Telnet client.
You should now be in one of the most complete and nicest shell a personal computer ever got (command-line-interface speaking). If you got an error, please take a look at the User Guide.
Now, if you want to see the startup time and the CPU usage of your web server process, type
Processes 'Quid Pro Quo 2.1' -x ad
followed by enter, at the ToolDaemon> prompt, to get
If you want to quit the Finder, just enter {Finder} -quit . To restart the Finder, and make it open this file, enter {Finder} ':::ToolDaemon Read Me!' !
MPW users will feel at home... Other users may want to check the Help command output, as they are discovering a new world! More info about ToolDaemon is available in the User Guide. The entire documentation of ToolServer (and the MPW shell) are also available on Internet at http://developer.apple.com/tools/
Price
Feel free to evaluate ToolDaemon... but if you use it, please register. You’ll also get a registration key to avoid the preference confirmation at startup!
One user license of ToolDaemon is 30$. Other multi-user licenses are available. Kagi handles registration. Please, use the “Register ToolDaemon” application or visit http://order.kagi.com/?QJ4 to support our developement efforts.
The person using the software bears all risk as to the quality and performance of the software.
History
99 mar 31st : 1.0
Some display glitches (on systems without the appearence extension) are now corrected.
99 mar 29th : 1.0fc2
The suppress go ahead negociation, at the beginning of the Telnet session, is now correctly handled; this was required by some UNIX Telnet clients.
99 mar 22th : 1.0fc1
The disconnection is handled correctly, even on fast machines (race condition more frequent since Appearence support).
99 mar 1st : 1.0b4
Just a problem in the Installer, on pre 8.5 systems.
99 mar 1st : 1.0b3
The echo negociation, at the beginning of the Telnet session, is now correctly handled for all Telnet clients.
ToolDaemon responds to the “Are you there?” and “Interrupt Process” signals of the Telnet session.
The Administration password, required for use on AppleShare file servers, is now scrambled in a preference file, and can be entered by the administrator in a new preference panel. So are the port settings and the maximum number of concurrent telnet sessions.
The CR only (on some UNIX Telnet clients) , the CR/NULL (Berkeley) are handled as the “original” CR/LF separators.
The application is appearance savvy.
99 feb 05 : 1.0b2
ToolDaemon is now supported on AppleShare File Servers (where the administrator password is required to check user settings). Contact us for more information.
Added a logoff feature, similar to logon.
A rare memory leak is now solved. Some very large ToolServer outputs were not disposed properly when the matching Telnet session was closed anticipatively.
