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From: dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (Paul DuBois)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: MacIntosh Communications Software
Message-ID: <1550@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 11-Oct-85 11:13:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.1550
Posted: Fri Oct 11 11:13:18 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 14-Oct-85 06:22:46 EDT
References: <452@bdmrrr.UUCP>
Organization: UW-Madison Primate Center
Lines: 64


> 
> 	I am looking for the "perfect" software package to use on my Mac to use
> with Unix.  As I understand, one of the most important features of the 
> communications package should be to emulate a VT-100 (or VT-220).  I have found
> that second on my priority list is the ability to transfer data via the kermit
> protocol.  
> 
> 	In order to satisfy both requirements, I use two software packages:
> 
> 		1.  MacTerminal - when I "vnews" or do any software 
> 				  development
> 
> 		2.  Red Ryder 4.0 - when I download software/ upload text
> 				    using Kermit

I will make a suggestion that satisfies neither requirement, but works
for me.  First, a couple of qualifications to the requirements:  If you're
running Unix, it's pretty much irrelevant whether the package emulates
a VT-100/220 specifically or not.  What matters is that it emulates
*something* (i.e., something besides a teletype :-) ).  It does not even
matter if the terminial emulated is in /etc/termcap, since you can use
your own terminal description and set the TERMCAP environoment variable
to point at it.  Second, kermit is unnecessary.

With these qualifications in mind, what I use is SquirmTerm.  This is
the terminal program that comes as an example program with Rascal (the
language developed at Reed College).  I didn't get Rascal for that purpose,
but I found, much to my delight, that SquirmTerm is perfectly adequate for
my needs.  The advantages:
      - At $99, Rascal is the same price as MacTerminal, plus you get a
	programming language thrown in for nothing.  :-)
      - The manual gives the termcap entry, and it works.  You can use it
	with vi.  It has a couple of vi-specific things, like putting the
	cursor where the mouse is when you click.  Double-click gives you
	cw, which is convenient, and like MacWrite.  The ` key is used for
	escape which is in the same spot as normal escape keys on many
	terminals - very convenient.  (You get ` with option-` or something.
	Anyway, this should give you vnews.
      - You can transfer files both ways.  Not a lot of frills, but it works.
	It doesn't do kermit, but I just use ascii anyway.  It transfers
	in ascii mode *without errors* at 9600 baud on the broadband network
	to which I am attached.  Of course, I run a ramdisk and load the
	file into that, writing the "real" file onto a disk with binhex.
	(However, even with the same configuration, the best I could do
	with Red Ryder without losing characters was 2400 baud.)
	I keep the system, SquirmTerm and binhex on the ramdisk and use a
	minifinder.  Blindingly fast to load a file, transfer to binhex,
	convert it, and back to SqT.
      - Rascal comes with the source for SquirmTerm, so you can hack it
	yourself if you want.  For programmers, this is a plus.
      - Half the size of Red Ryder.  Red Ryder has a bunch of junk I don't
	need (xmodem, kermit), don't want to load, or waste disk space
	on.

It's not a fancy program, but I like it.  'Course, I'm a Rascal fan, too,
so maybe I'm biased.

-- 
                                                                    |
Paul DuBois     {allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois        --+--
                                                                    |
"The voice of the Lord is full of majesty."                         |
                           Psalm 29:4