Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!STONEWALL.NYSER.NET!schoff
From: schoff@STONEWALL.NYSER.NET ("Marty Schoffstall")
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: Terminal servers and 3270 emulation
Message-ID: <8902261409.AA02332@stonewall.nyser.net>
Date: 26 Feb 89 14:09:52 GMT
References: <8902251635.AA16062@SALT.ACC.COM>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 26


Chris,

One of the problems here is mapping the 327X stream into a ascii/ansi terminal
of some type (where some type is one of at least a hundred).  Carrying all
this "curses" (forgive me) information around in memory is very wasteful.  A
standard protocol might help vendors (and definitely users).  This protocol
upon identification of terminal type to the terminal server would ask some
server (who has disk storage) what is the curses defnition for this terminal
to be mapped into.  Sounds like an IETF Working group.

Another place to possibly look is how ISO VTP with forms mode does this, knowing
them they probably have left it up to a vendor's agreement.

Marty

PS:  I'm not suggesting you use curses it is only something generally known
--------------------------your message----------------------
    	Having just read Excelan's announcement for their new terminal server
    the thought once again crossed my mind that no one seems to see the need
    for these things to try and do TN3270. I get requests from customers every
    day for a product like this but it seems that no one has the bugs worked ou
    yet. I threw this query out on the net almost a year ago, fully expecting a
    commercial product long before now. Does anyone know of a box that will do
    TN3270 for the dumb terminal user? PLease let me know if anyone has the
    inside scoop and I'll try and sumarize the responses to the net.