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From: srpenndo@uokmax.UUCP (Sean Richard Penndorf)
Newsgroups: alt.bbs,comp.misc
Subject: Re: New Ideas in BBSes (No BS!)
Keywords: BBS Client Server Network NOMSDOS
Message-ID: <2142@uokmax.UUCP>
Date: 14 Dec 88 19:36:07 GMT
References: <1217@cps3xx.UUCP> <2093@uokmax.UUCP> <2324@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <437@telly.UUCP> <1089@tank.uchicago.edu> <243@taniwha.UUCP> <11373@reed.UUCP> <2070@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU>
Reply-To: srpenndo@uokmax.UUCP (Sean Richard Penndorf)
Distribution: na
Organization: Ultimatum Software
Lines: 37

In article <2070@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU> fargo@pawl17.pawl.rpi.edu (Ethan M. Young) writes:
=>As to the subject of supporting glass TTY's and ASCII terminals:
=>
=>Instead of being stuck supporting ONLY ASCII dumb terminals, nor instead of
=>relying heavily on specialized protocols, a good BBS should allow the user to
=>choose which system he/she wants depending on the user's terminal set-up.  If
=>the user is stuck with a measly Courier terminal, then give that user the sup-
=>port available for a Courier.  But, if the user just happens to have a 2000x
=>2000x24 bit color display running a terminal emulator to handle it, then you
=>shouldn't have to stick that guy with a Courier interface.  All this can be
=>made as simple as selecting a menu item, hitting a letter, etc. which says,
=>"Which terminal emulator can you support?  (C)ourier  (V)T-100  (A)NSI etc."
=>

This is what I have been saying all along.  Allow the user to choose what type
of interface his computer and software will support.  Since the general 
consensus here seems to be bent on communication, it would seem logical to
support as many possible configurations as possible.  However, while still
supporting the old (ancient, dinosaur, or whatever other metaphors) ASCII
TTY dumb terminal, new BBS programs SHOULD move forward and try to 
incorporate a graphics protocol.  

The best way to move forward in the graphics scene is to come up with a 
standard for all computers and software to follow.  This standard will have
to be Public Domain so that it reaches as many software developers as possible.
Without a standard then we will be limiting everyone and which BBS's they can
call.  Until a good general standard is designed, graphic BBS's will be small
in number and will be limited in what machines it will support.  So, until a
graphics protocol standard is designed that is as generic as TTY (or perhaps
VT-100), and implemented on all computers, BBS host programs should 
continue to support ASCII TTY.


-- 
Sean 'Longstride' Penndorf
!texsun!uokmax!srpenndo                    .  .        .-----------
GEnie:  S.PENNDORF                         |  |        `---.
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