Plans are already under way to expand xnetlib. One major addition will be the capability of remote execution. Many useful utility programs are large, making distribution tedious, or are more expensive to build than to execute. In such cases, allowing remote execution may be a better use of resources from both the distributor's and user's point of view. Toolpack [9], a large collection of Fortran software tools, and f2c [6], a Fortran-to-C translator, are logical candidates for this remote execution service. Users, instead of downloading, installing, and executing these programs, could submit suitable input and have a machine at a remote server site execute the programs and return the output.
Another proposed capability will allow users to add their own servers to the collection of servers globally available through xnetlib. Any xnetlib user could then access this contributed software by adding the appropriate server to his active server list. This feature will greatly expand the amount of software available through xnetlib.
We also plan to expand the scope of the xnetlib system. In the future xnetlib's distributed repository will include more non-mathematical software and more reports. Additional software and document collections will be linked into xnetlib's existing collection.
Starting with LAPACK, xnetlib began distributing entire libraries. This service will be extended to other libraries.
Xnetlib already provides fast and easy access to a large collection of mathematical software. In the future xnetlib will provide greatly expanded capabilities to satisfy more of the computational needs of users.