rkl@and.cs.liv.ac.uk (01/11/91)
> NO! The *next* step is to have an emulator that can *really* handle VT100. > In the last week, I've been comparing TaskANSI, Rap, Arc100, and Grapevine, > and of the four, only *Rap* seems to emulate the VT100 codes totally (tested > by running a curses program while logged into the work machine): only Rap > actually does the curses, the rest kind of spit garbage. I'm amazed at this influx of PD/shareware terminal emulators (including mine of course !), but I haven't seen TaskANSI yet. If it hasn't been posted up yet and it's PD, can someone please do so. Ahem. As far as VT100 codes goes, I went to great pains to make sure that all the VT100 codes I have documentation for (from a Plessey PT100 manual admittedly) were implemented by Arc100. I used the 'vttest' program to make sure that all sequences were fine, plus it's had a good 2 years service on VMS (including SMG stuff) without problems. I consider my set to supercede that of Rap's. > Alas, Rap is very slow, and I can't deal with that background, cute as it > may be. :-( Someone should tell the author that the only thing that needs to be EORed on the screen is the CURSOR and not huge logos and enormous function key sprites. :-) :-) > As for the above, Grapevine was quick, but I can't deal with its insistance > on the Data configuration (I seem to have to change from 8/1 to 7/1 > constantly, and don't want to control-reset the system all the time). I objected to the white text and blue background and the extremely awkward way you configure the baud rate, parity etc. There should have been a sub-menu or dialogue box to set these explicitly. > The vt100 emulation seemed *really* off on this one; none of the tests > seemed to work. Its interface was definitely a marvel to look at. Well the redundant Grapevine logo at the top of the screen probably was the highlight for me too :-) > Arc100 did a competent and probably the quickest job; the interface took > a while to get used to, and it's only problem is not having any file > transfer. vt100 was very good, the above mentioned test performing nearly > flawlessly, except for the big curses program, which did garbage. If it's for a generic PD curses program and you have the sources, could you e-mail them to me in shar format please ? I'd like to see which sequences go wrong. The curses program may have suffered from the XON-OFF fault. Did it consistently fail in the same places in the curses program ? > So, I'm still with TaskANSI, which is slower than Grapevine or Arc100 > (as it runs in its window on the desktop), and has some kludges with > vt100, but overall, because it multitasks easiest, and can be configured > easily on the fly, and does at least Ymodem...it's good to use. :-) But I haven't seen it yet :-( Personally, I object to running terminal emulators in windows because I insist on the full 80 or 132 columns for emulation purposes with maximum display speed possible. > (DISCLAIMER: All applications mentioned were neat to try, and I do > appreciate having them made available! Thank you!) You're welcome. This weekend I shall be implemented some of the suggestions given to me about Arc100 and will release Beta-Test Arc100 V2.3 if the XON-XOFF problem gets fixed. Richard K. Lloyd, *** This is a MicroVAX II running VAX/VMS V5.3-1 *** Computer Science Dept., * JANET : RKL@UK.AC.LIV.CS.AND * Liverpool University, * Internet : RKL%and.cs.liv.ac.uk@cunyvm.cuny.edu * Merseyside, England, **************************************************** Great Britain. Q: "What's the world's fastest home micro ?" L69 3BX A: "The Archimedes A3000. 4 MIPS for under 800 pounds."