fyi:

- i do some traveling and like to work away from the house... but i also
  want to be able to remotely access my email, read news, and download
  files using at least the illusion of DSL speeds... i say 'illusion,'
  because shell accounts can 'appear' fast when connected to a more
  powerful computer, but actually downloading files *from* the server
  via CDMA is horribly slow (IIRC, i had to use 256-byte ZMODEM packets
  just to ensure some modicum of reliability)... but when just connecting
  for terminal work, digital modem emulation under CDMA is just fine..

  well, after 30 mins. work this morning i can now do this with my z50
  running NetBSD! yahoo!

- i'm a big fan of BSD (started using it on SunOS and also futzed with
  Tenon's MachTen under MacOS), but let's face it, the tip command, while
  functional, isn't that 'friendly'... so i wanted to use a cross-platform
  favorite - minicom... i was initially quite happy to see a version for
  NetBSD... however, 

- the minicom package in 1.5 barfs and dies with a shared library error
  (libintl.so.1), even though the libs are present and links in place

- so, i downloaded the latest version and built from scratch... found that
  a number of #include files are missing in the NetBSD 1.5.1 distribution,
  such as libintl.h, features.h, etc.

- copied the #include files from another (Linux) system, then rebuilt
  minicom (disabling libintl requirements) and copied the requisite 
  files into place (/usr/local/*)

- inserted a Targus WWC (wireless web card manufactured under license
  from Socket) CF card (serial i/o w/Motorola StarTAC connector and used
  in a PCMCIA caddy); the card was recognized by NetBSD as COM1
  (/dev/tty01)... 

- fired up the xminicom script, and set the defaults (for Sprint PCS,
  the wireless web/phone emulates a 19.2K modem, so settings are 19.2K,
  no hardware/software flow control), then dialed into my server...

- Bingo! Connection! Now i can take my Z50 running NetBSD and connect to 
  my DSL network at home from anywhere in the U.S. (w/no long distance 
  charge as long as PCS service is available)

  minicom under NetBSD appears to work *better* at handling color logins
  than its counterpart under Linux!

Way to go, NetBSD and hpcmips!

regards,

billy ball