johnm@houxd.UUCP (08/04/83)
I am wondering if there is a termcap and/or terminal emulator for the Atari 800 which would allow the use of vi or other programs based on the curses package. Please reply by mail. I will post a summary if someone requests it. Thanks in advance, John Montgomery BTL Holmdel ihnp4!houxd!johnm or harpo!houxd!johnm
jdi@psuvax.UUCP (08/09/83)
Perhaps this belongs it net.flame, but...
No, thank you, I will NOT respond by mail. In the past month I've seen
(it seems like) 20 or 30 people asking for termcap entries for atari
computers, most like the following:
"Uh, does anybody out there have a termcap entry for a 40
column atari 800???"
How can anybody answer this??? After all, he could be running 10 different
terminal programs, with 20 different modems!
Now, lest you all think this message merely a flame, pertinent information
follows, please read it!
A little history first. I've been working on UN*X for about 5 years and
when 3 years ago I decided to get a terminal for home, I figured -- Why not
get a computer instead? Then you can run a terminal and Star Raiders at the
same time! So, with $729 in hand (sigh, only $400 today...) I went down to
the handy-dandy post office, and picked up my computer. But for a long time,
I looked for terminal programs without any luck. I mean, we all know how
incredible Atari's terminal program is. (I ripped the chips out of that
cartridge to make it into another game for someone)
Ah, but then I received my first APX (Atari-Program-Exchange) catalog. In it
was a little add for a terminal program called "Chameleon". (which, I believe,
HAS been mentioned before, but the requests for termcaps never seem to stop)
And so, with considerably less than $700 in hand, I bought it.
In summary, Chameleon is a superb product. It features an 80 column
screen (with 40 displayable columns, you scroll across with Start and
shift-Start), and multiple pages preserved in memory, which can be scrolled
in the vertical direction. But the most important feature of Chameleon is
(da-da-da-daaaa) Terminal Emulation. With it, your atari can be either
a Adm-3a (which isn't so hot) or a Vt-52 (which is hotter).
And so, no more termcap entries. Just "set term=vt52" and you're all set.
Sorry this message had to be so long, but I want to get some life back
into this apparently sagging newsgroup
John Irwin
{burdvax, allegra}!psuvax!jdi
PS: Just out of curiosity, what happens to all those poor people who
bought the 1200, now that the 14XX's are coming out?
PPS: Don't send mail in response to this article, post it!