Message-ID: <1344@hao.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 20-Jan-85 23:23:54 EST
Article-I.D.: hao.1344
Posted: Sun Jan 20 23:23:54 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 23-Jan-85 06:18:56 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: High Altitude Obs./NCAR, Boulder CO
Lines: 85

Every now and then something comes along that destroys long-cherished
notions of how the world is made.  Such as thing is Versaterm. 

I'm a text terminal user.  I would never have a graphics terminal on my
desk, because graphics terminals have always done a lousy job of doing
text work.  They were slow, or they had annoying long persistence
phosphors, or they painted fuzzy characters.  There was always a price
to pay for being able to paint pictures on the screen.  This is so no
longer. 

I posted an article last week complaining about the lack of some file
transfer features in Versaterm.  Since then, I have received an updated
version.  I can now say that this is not only the finest terminal
emulator on the Macintosh today (faint praise, that) but easily the
best terminal software I have ever used on any computer.  Versaterm, in
fact, makes the Macintosh one of the finest terminals I have ever
used. 

Lonnie Abelbeck has made using the Macintosh as a terminal a pleasant
experience.  The Mac works like a Mac should work.  There's a good
sized memory buffer of text saved off the top of the screen, the list
of phone numbers resides under a menu, the communication settings are
automatically set when a number is called, there's a menu full of
macros.  And the manual is almost completely unnecessary. 

This program supports upload and download using plain ASCII, binary Xmodem, 
text Xmodem (which filters out those hateful linefeeds) and Macterminal 
Xmodem (which transfers both forks of the Macintosh file).

I have been able to do full screen editing using Vi at 9600 baud with
no trouble.  Versaterm gives you the option + mouse cursor control that
Macterminal introduced.  The versaterm version of this seems to work
much faster, and you can use it with either Vi or EMACS.  When in Vi
(and other full screen editors), you must turn off XON/XOFF.  When
listing anything at 9600 baud you must turn it on (Versaterm can handle
~7200 baud without flow control).  The XON/XOFF switch is directly
under a menu, which makes it quick and easy to change. 

Versaterm supports the add-on numeric keypad.  It also allows you to
use the regular keypad for cursor control and function key purposes.
(This is the only thing I've seen that I needed manual to find out.) 
It supports all the VT100 features that I use, which is enough to do
full screen editing, but I can't say how well it supports those
features I don't use (it doesn't claim to be a perfect VT100
emulator). 

I cannot report on how well Versaterm works as a graphics terminal,
since I don't use graphics.  I have used it to do simple pictures -
circles, squares, toriods.  It seems to do the job.  But I'll leave the
review of the Tektronix and the DG2000 emulators to those who better
understand them. 

This excellent program is well worth its price, even if you only use it
in its VT100 mode.  The addition of Tekronix and DG2000 emulation
easily make it a bargain.  Future enhancements promise to make it even
better. 

For those (like me) who have to deal with brain-damaged and/or toy
computers, Lonnie has indicated that future releases will include both
Macterminal-type delay-after-line, and MacTEP-type wait-for-prompt
ASCII upload.  Programmable answerback and true 9600 baud operation are
goals I would urge on him. 

You can buy Versaterm by sending $99 to:

	Peripherals Computers & Supplies, Inc
	2232 Perkiomen Avenue
	Mt. Penn, PA   19606
	(215) 779-0522

I recommend it.

THE USUAL DISCLAIMER:
I have no personal or financial ties with Lonnie Abelbeck or the
organization selling this product.  My only interest is in good, quality
software for the Macintosh.  This program sets high standards for  the
Macintosh, and is well worth the time we have waited.  I hope other Mac
developers take heed and do as well.  
-- 

Michael Ward, NCAR/SCD
UUCP: {hplabs,nbires,brl-bmd,seismo,menlo70,stcvax}!hao!ward
ARPA: hplabs!hao!ward@Berkeley
BELL: 303-497-1252
USPS: POB 3000, Boulder, CO  80307

Message-ID: <1312@utah-gr.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Jan-85 12:22:25 EST
Article-I.D.: utah-gr.1312
Posted: Mon Jan 21 12:22:25 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 27-Jan-85 05:05:48 EST
References: <1344@hao.UUCP>
Reply-To: thomas@utah-gr.UUCP (Spencer W. Thomas)
Distribution: net
Organization: Univ of Utah CS Dept
Lines: 13
Summary: 


Something I would dearly love to see in a terminal emulator, and which
none of them have yet (are you listening Lonnie?) is a "Meta" key.  This
(for you unitiated out there) is a key which sets the "parity" or 8th
bit in the outgoing characters (obviously, one must be running in a "no
parity" mode).  A certain popular screen editor (emacs) uses this key as
a sort of "control" key to give one easy access to a number of editing
functions.  I know that availability of a meta key would prompt a large
number of people to buy the terminal emulator that supplied it.

-- 
=Spencer
	({ihnp4,decvax}!utah-cs!thomas, thomas@utah-cs.ARPA)
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