hofmann@cbnewse.att.com (james.r.hofmann) (01/15/91)
I would like to know how the people using the Viking Moniterm (or equivalent) like it. Specifically, what are the limitations (programs that won't run, etc.). How do showdvi, gulam, mg, etc. perform with the monitor? This information would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! Jim Hofmann AT&T Bell Laboratories Naperville, IL
rosenqui@crc.skl.dnd.ca (Eric Rosenquist) (01/17/91)
In article <1991Jan15.140123.3570@cbnewse.att.com> hofmann@cbnewse.att.com (james.r.hofmann) writes: >I would like to know how the people using the Viking Moniterm (or >equivalent) like it. Specifically, what are the limitations (programs >that won't run, etc.). How do showdvi, gulam, mg, etc. perform with >the monitor? I've had a Moniterm for about a year and love it. I've had a bit of trouble with the unit itself, but that's because I bought a "slightly used" one from Moniterm at a special developer's discount. The monitor itself is of first-rate quality. It may seem expensive compared to those $799 dual-page monitors you see advertised in MacWorld etc., but the picture quality is second to none (the TT 19" monochrome is also top-notch). I don't have experience with the rest of the programs you mentioned, but gulam works quite nicely on it. My only complaint is that gulam likes to keep the cursor positioned at the bottom of the screen, even if you clear the screen, so it has to scroll the whole 150K of screen every time. Gulam even recognizes the 160x50 screen so that the output of 'ls' etc. use the full screen width. Most true GEM programs work rather nicely, I can vouch for the ones I use regularly: STalker/STeno Spectre (GCR & 128) [all the Mac stuff I've tried uses the big screen] NeoDesk 2.05 and 3.x HotWire and all the other CodeHead stuff WordFlair Timeworks DTP TrackerST mailing list s/w LDW Power (a joy on the big screen!) Turbo C 2.x (German) LGSelect and UIS III file selectors Idle 2.x PD screen saver ARCShell QuickST II or the TurboST Moniterm version Many TOS programs work perfectly, or work with minor screen mess ups. It's impossible to know until you try however. A reasonably good test to make with your favorite s/w before buying a Moniterm would be to try the programs with one of the software-based big screen emulators. If the program handles the simulated screen well you've got about a 75% chance of it working on the real thing. Programs that do screen flipping or their own scrolling often look like they're working since the physical screen is the same size as normal, but fail with a real Moniterm. Eric