OpenSSH GSoC Project

[Peter Stuge]

Hi Jawaad,

Jawaad Ahmad wrote:
> I apologize if this isn't the right place to post about the Google
> Summer of Code; if so, I would appreciate guidance toward the
> correct list.
> 
> If this is the correct list, I would appreciate answers to the
> message below.

This is the list, as is Damien's address, but I guess he has many
emails to reply to.

I'll try to answer, best as I can.


> -----Original Message-----
> I noticed your project idea regarding renovating sftp to improve
> its command-line interface. Can you tell me more about this? For
> this project, I assume you have certain key features in mind
> besides recursive uploads/downloads via the command-line interface.

I think this is about internal structure in the sftp client program.
At present I view it more as proof of concept than an actual file
transfer utility. That is what I would like the project to fix.


> In addition, by "command-line interface", I assume you mean the
> "sftp" command line and not the shell in which we enter when we
> run sftp, correct?

Naturally both those interfaces should be able to use any new
features.


> Also, I'm curious about the rationale for this. Why beef up sftp to
> handle this if scp already takes care of it? Do you envision cases
> in which scp is available but sftp is not?

The sole reason for scp's existence is backwards compatibility with
rcp. scp uses an application protocol similar (identical?) to rcp on
top of Unix fd:s, and is really a sorry excuse for a file transfer
program in 2009. scp does however work well enough for it to continue
to be used by many, and in particular scp has some features which the
OpenSSH sftp program lacks.

SFTP on the other hand is a modern, standardized, file transfer
protocol directly on top of SSH, and the sftp program is an
elementary implementation of a client software.

scp is bad, but can not be changed because it is compatibility only.
scp is legacy.

sftp (and to a degree SFTP, the protocol itself) can easily be
changed and improved. Even the user interface can (and should)
change, for the better. SFTP is the future.

The OpenSSH sftp client is, as said, not so impressive, and it needs
some love to really shine. The tool can be improved in many ways,
internally and externally. Recursive transfers is just one thing.


//Peter
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