Welcome to AlmostVPN v 1.0
1. What it is
AlmostVPN v 1.0 is a complete re-write of AlmostVPN. With v 1.0 Leaping Bytes, have tried to address all usability/stability/scalability problems of v 0.9.x. As a result, though it does all that v 0.9.x did (and good deal more), it looks quite different (we hope better) and it use completely different approach to configuration GUI.
2. What it can do
AlmostVPN v 1.0 could be used at one of three levels of functionality:
- 0.9.x level,
- 1.0.x level and
- 1.5.x level (future).
0.9.x is free-ware level of functionality. Basically all you could do with version 0.9.x you can do with 1.0.x for free. 1.0.x is share-ware level of functionality. If you find yourself using 1.0.x features of AlmostVPN more often than not, you are encouraged to purchase activation key (AlmostVPN will notice that you like v 1.0.x features and will gently remind you to purchase the key). 1.5.x is advance pay-ware level of functionality(at present time Leaping Bytes expect to have 1.5.x version ready before end of the year).
- 0.9.x level
- "Direct" access SSH servers
- Simple (not multi-hop and not compound) tunnel
- Mounting AFS/SMB drives
- Alias servers with services (Single server/service combination per profile)
- HTTP/SOCKS proxy support ( manual and PAK )
- Running single profile at a time
- Starting at login
- 1.0.x level
- Multi-hop access SSH servers
- Multi-hop and compound tunnels
- Bonjour support
- Print/Fax support
- Remote Control (VNC/ARD/RDC/Shell)
- File operations (copy/move/execute local/remote X11/console)
- Profiles: Starting at boot. Stopping at user switch/sleep. Fire and forget. Running more than one at a time.
- Automatic proxy discovery
- Scriptable profile control
- 1.5.x level
- "True" VPN
- "Almost Static" IP address
- Remote Control of AlmostVPN
- AlmostVPN2GO
3. What it will not do (ever)
NO SSH v 1. AlmostVPN v 1.0 does not rely on command line ssh client to setup tunnels. It uses Jsch API from jcraft instead. Jsch does not support SSH v 1 protocol. As a result, AlmostVPN v 1.0 can not talk to SSH servers which do not understand SSH v 2 (You can read Wikipedia article about SSH to find out why no one should ever use SSH v 1).
4. What Beta 7 can not do (yet)
Widget. Completely redesign AlmostVPN widget will appear in release 1.1 (Ticket #179)
SUDO-less operations. As of now there is no way to use AlmostVPN v1.0 without access to SUDO capable account. Not too many people (actually no one) complained about it, so this feature was pushed to the future releases (Ticket #180)
Panther. AlmostVPN v 1.0 as of now is not Panther compatible. Presently this feature is rather low on our "to-do" list. Please let us know if you really need to run AlmostVPN on Panther.
UPDATE I have tried to port AlmostVPN/PRO back to Panther and it looks like it is going to be not so easy. Unless I hear from a lot of people, I will not attempt this port any time soon. Sorry folks, but with Leopard right around the corner it is about time to switch to Tiger.
