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From: mouse@SHAMASH.MCRCIM.MCGILL.EDU (der Mouse)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: printing at X terminals
Message-ID: <9007172230.AA01574@shamash.McRCIM.McGill.EDU>
Date: 17 Jul 90 22:30:21 GMT
Sender: daemon@athena.mit.edu (Mr Background)
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 40

> To me, using the existing pipe provided by X for input/output to
> ports on the terminal is esthetically clean.

And to me it isn't - so what?

> Viewed in a broader context than is generally appropriate on this
> list, X devices are local input/output devices.

The argument seems to be arising from the disagreement between those
who feel that X should be a workstation interface protocol and those
who think it should be a window system protocol.

>>> The implementations of X terminal printing are currently all
>>> different, are not secure, and don't run on all transport layers
>>> supported by the server.
>> All of which are orthogonal to the question of whether it should be
>> done using an X extension.
(Which is perfectly true.)
> This response frustrates me, because it doesn't show an appreciation
> for the practical problems encountered by terminal manufacturers and
> users who are trying to implement solutions on the fringes of the
> standards world (and standards don't imply availability anyway!).
> The practical issues are important too.  X could provide a standard
> for local input/output.  An input/output extension for a simple
> byte-stream protocol is all that's needed.

What are you waiting for?  Write an input/output extension and make it
available.  That's how X came about, after all; nobody forced it on us.

> I propose a simple extension to X for input/output.

Well?  So where is it?

(I probably wouldn't use it; I don't think it belongs as a part of
standard X.  But I definitely welcome experimental additions.)

					der Mouse

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