Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!rpi!uupsi!sunic!sics.se!bula!bjornk From: bjornk@bula.se (Bjorn Knutsson) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech Subject: Re: NTSC vs. PAL screen checking (Was Re: JRComm....) Message-ID: <6939@bula.se> Date: 9 May 90 10:35:54 GMT References: <1371@faatcrl.UUCP> <899@tau.sm.luth.se> <1177@tmiuv0.uucp> <6890@bula.se> Sender: rnews@bula.se Reply-To: Bjorn Knutsson Distribution: comp Organization: Bjorn's Amiga, Sweden Lines: 67 In article <1371@faatcrl.UUCP> jprad@faatcrl.UUCP (Jack Radigan) writes: >bjornk@bula.se (Bjorn Knutsson) writes: > >>I agree with that. 640*200 or 640*400 just doesn't look right when >>your system is using 704*284/704*568 normally. And he shouldn't adapt >>to PAL. He should adapt to whatever resolution is the default in the >>system (i.e, check the workbench screen). > >I am, I am... I've repented from my past transgressions of slighting the >*other* side, please now, find it in your hearts to forgive us wayward >Americans, or at least *me*. Well, I'll think about it... :-) Of course, the screensize isn't the only problem, especially not in a terminal package. You see, we Europeans often use hacked up ASCII (7-bit) for telecommunications. Now, this really screws things up since we're using 8-bit code in our systems. This leads to two problems, bot easily solved if you're aware of them. Namely: o We must be able to change the font. We have to alter the normal font in order to get our national characters into the 7-bit code. o We must be able to use a separate keymap for the terminal package. Otherwise we'll be sending 8-bit codes to a system expecting the 7-bit codes or using 7-bit codes on the Amiga (which expects the 8-bit codes) In Sweden, we remap "}{|][\" to be our national characters. If you can't do the two things above, we're going to have a lot of problems using your software. Now, the first problem is often easily solved. The second problem seems to be harder. Marco solved the problem in a pretty ugly way for ATalk III. It works, but... He makes a local copy of the keymap in use at startup time inside his program. This works, but you have to fiddle around with the keymaps when you start your program. A Norwegian program called NComm solved in an entirely different way. It scans the current keymap on startup just like ATalk, but it, being a European product, has internal support for many different countries, and can use the default national keymap. Also, you don't have to change any fonts to use that package. It knows about several European languages and how to convert internally between the 8-bit and 7-bit codes. This is a pretty good solution, unless you happen to come from a country who's national characters aren't supported by the program. Online has a builtin conversion table that the user can customize. This is really a very nice solution, too bad the rest of the program is unusable. What I really think I'd like to see is a program that lets you use the font of your choice along with the keymap of your choice. I mean, if Bill Hawes can include a keymap-command with WShell/ConMan that allows you to choose what keymap a specific shell should use, why can't you guys do something similar? It would solve a lot of problems for us Europeans. > -jack- --- Bjorn Knutsson / USENET: bjornk@bula.se or sunic!sics!bula!bjornk Stangholmsbacken 44 / Phone : +46-8-710 7223 S-127 40 SKARHOLMEN / "Oh dear, I think you'll find reality's on the S W E D E N / blink again." -- Marvin The Paranoid Android