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From: gregg%a.cs.okstate.edu@csnet-relay.arpa (Gregg Wonderly)
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Windowing systems
Message-ID: <2644@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 14-Apr-86 19:41:01 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-smok.2644
Posted: Mon Apr 14 19:41:01 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 18-Apr-86 03:52:16 EST
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	The biggest problem with windowing seems to be the lack of knowledge
that the kernel has about the users environment.  It seems that several
people have essentially indicated that a more generic communications means
should exist between the kernel and the users terminal.

	It seems most natural to develope some sort of protocol for the kernel,
and have much smarter terminals to decipher it.  A protocol including info
about the process doing the I/O, as well as other data would be needed.

	This gives rise to the question of terminal type.  This provides quite
a few problems because EVERYBODY would want to define their own protocol.
I have seen a SUN workstation, and imagine that something of this nature
is used there.  Picking a very flexible workstation as a terminal is the
logical choice.

	I would like to have some information on systems doing this type of
system/user communication.  Please limit yourselves to multiuser systems,
as this is where the issue resides.  A single user micro can be as elegant
as you desire, because there is generally one screen.  Areas of interest
would probably include the VAX workstation, the SUN workstation, BLIT's,
and perhaps the ATT 7300/3B1.

	I will submit a summary if the responses warrant it.  I feel that it
is time to start making some decisions on a standard, more elegant mainframe
environment, and stop all of this "My systems better than yours" crap.  If
you think your system is better, than tell me why.  Please send your responses
to me instead of posting them here.  My net-mail address is given below.


Gregg Wonderly
Department of Computing and Information Sciences
Oklahoma State University

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