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7. SSH and Ameol

7.1 The ssh-ameol conference

I should mention the ssh-ameol conference here. You can telnet direct to CIX, but using SSH is more secure. Unfortunately, Ameol doesn't support the SSH protocol.

However, once logged in, you can join the ssh-ameol conference and download the tools that'll allow Ameol to use SSH indirectly. Some work will need to be done as the tools are designed for Windows and the Cygwin tools.

Perhaps a similar technique could be used with Unix-like systems, but nobody appears to have done this - yet. Anyway, the standard Ameol login script should be replaced with a script for SSH.

7.2 The login script

Here's the unmodified script for Cygwin from the ssh-ameol conference.


status "Executing Login Script"
pause 1000
waitfor "gin:"
status "Connected to Local Daemon"
putnocr "username^M"
waitfor "word:"
putnocr "password^M"
waitfor "$"
status "Connecting to Cix via SSH2"
putnocr "/bin/ssh -2 -e none qix@cix.co.uk^M"
 
if waitfor("user)","(yes/no)?")==1
status "ERROR Host Key not known!"
 putnocr "no^M)"
 status "Aborting Blink"
 pause 1000
 putnocr "exit^M"
 status ""
 end
 hangup
endif
 
status "Sending Conferencing login name"
put name
waitfor "Password:"
status "Sending Conferencing password"
put password

7.3 Almost there...

I won't reproduce the ssh-ameol install instructions, as they're specific to Cygwin. However, creating an account under Linux is a standard administrative task.

One word of warning: Do not install your old Ameol data just by copying the data over. This will upset the terminal part of Ameol. Instead, selectively copy parts of your old data. I've found that just copying the Data and Resumes directories works.

Unfortunately, there may be further obstacles. The next step should configuring Ameol to telnet instead of direct dial, but this is only possible if/when tabbed dialogs work perfectly. As you might suspect, this is not always the case with Wine!

If you have more success than this, please let me know how!


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