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Path: utzoo!utcsri!utai!garfield!john13
From: john13@garfield.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.amiga
Subject: Thoughts on terminal programs.
Message-ID: <2441@garfield.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Sep-86 07:51:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: garfield.2441
Posted: Mon Sep 29 07:51:18 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 30-Sep-86 01:31:13 EDT
Sender: perry@garfield.UUCP
Reply-To: john13@garfield.UUCP (John Russell)
Organization: Memorial U. of Nfld. C.S. Dept., St. John's
Lines: 41

[]
Some observations and questions on the terminal programs available
for the Amiga. I'm sure there are many I haven't seen, please feel
free to add your own thoughts and comments.

Gizmos terminal: simple and fairly complete, if fancy features aren't
important. Doesn't do scrolling regions, but does do the VT100 LED's; what are
they used for? I've never seen one come on!

Digital Link: Gizterm with file transfers in xmodem, text, amiga binary,
and simple modem. Can owners of Gizmos upgrade for a small fee? DLink also
for some reason behaves better with systems that use odd timing which
confuses other term programs at logon time (Gizterm and Online!).

Online!: loaded with features such as scripts, file transfers, character
mapping tables, and function key support. The terminal emulation irks me:
when I tried it, it turned reverse video and underline ON, but not OFF.
Try reading Netnews in underlined reverse video sometime.

Public domain offerings: I'm eager to see DBW's VT100 emulator, it sounds
like a composite of all the above (the good features!). Kermit will be
a blessing, and scripts, and 48 line screens, and...public domain!?!?
Compare with above commercial products.

Gripes, complaints and questions: stray control characters seem to switch
into the alternate character set, and there is no way I've found to get
back (not even with CTRL-o as in CLI mode, not even with local echo on).
The only option is to exit and start over (a good argument for not dropping
DTR). Gizterm and Online! have trouble with the local university system's
timing: you must go through a strange logon sequence beginning with 8 bit 
words and receiving garbage until you log on, after which you can switch
to 7 bit words. And DLink's file transfers cause complete terminal
lockup when trying to "synchronize" with a non-transmitting host. Again,
you must exit (reboot actually, since you can't select quit from the menu).
I don't know about Online!'s performance here.

Anyone have anything to add/explain/criticize?

John Russell
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