Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!usc!apple!fox!portal!cup.portal.com!Chris_F_Chiesa
From: Chris_F_Chiesa@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: I'm new to this...and need help
Message-ID: <24403@cup.portal.com>
Date: 23 Nov 89 16:10:25 GMT
References: <6929@portia.Stanford.EDU>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 38

> Well, it's good to see I'm not the only starving grad student with an 8-bit
> Atari.

Some of us are even gainfully employed and have 8-bit Ataris!  :-)

> These questions have probably been asked and answered a hundred times, but I
> couldn't find the answers, so I'd appreciate hearing them.

"There is no such thing as a stupid question," particularly here.  Ask away!


> 1)Being new to UNIX, I have just come to see the value of being able to 
>   emulate one of the more common terminal types.  How do I do this?

You're in luck; when I first got into using the Atari 8-bits, there was next 
to nothing of the kind -- today, there are several very good terminal programs
which emulate VT100 and other terminals.  Some folks recommend "OmniCom," some
recommend "Kermit65".  I'm the latter...   OmniCom offers several file-transfer
protocols as well as a fair VT100 emulator; Kermit65 offers -- obviously --
Kermit file-transfer and, IMHO, the *best* VT100 emulation on the Atari 8bit.
 
> 2)In connection with the above quesiton, is there any reasonable way to 
>   emulate an 80-column screen?

Several, in fact.  1) Use a graphics-0 (text mode) screen with horizontal
scrolling; 2) Use a narrow text font and bitmap it onto the graphics-8
screen!  OmniCom uses exclusively the latter; Kermit65 lets you choose between
the two; other programs, who knows? :-)  There also exists the Atari XEP80,
which generates TRUE 80-column text, but I believe requires special driver
and other software modifications...
 
> Thanks,
> Gary Brainin
> garygm@portia.Stanford.EDU

  You're welcome!

Chris Chiesa