Re: MiniTerm

[Gleef <dzol virtual-yellow com>]

On Mon, 12 Apr 1999, Fred W. Smith wrote:
> >On Sat, 10 Apr 1999, Fred W. Smith wrote:
> >> Hi there!
> >>
> >> I was wondering if you or anyone knows how I can get a program
> >> called MiniTerm. I have used the search engines and can only find
> >> a reference to it in How To debug 2 linux boxes and the
> >> instructions say that you can compile your own (which I don't
> >> know how to do).
> >>
> >> I have an accounting package that recommends using MiniTerm from
> >> the system prompt because it can give an ansi emulation for the
> >> accounting package which you can't get from the system prompt.
> >>
> >> If you could point me to where I can get the program, I would
> >> greatly appreciate it.
> >
> >As far as I can tell, the only program called MiniTerm out there
> >for Linux is a sample modem terminal program shipped with the LDP's
> >Linux Programmers Guide (http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP).  It doesn't
> >appear to have any special features that other similar programs
> >(such as MiniCom) don't have, and it is certainly missing many
> >features that MiniCom has (such as dialing directories).
> >
> >Note that both MiniTerm and MiniCom are specifically for accessing
> >systems over a dialup line or a serial port.  They are not for
> >accessing systems over a network.  Most decent accounting systems
> >are designed to be accessed over a network.  What accounting system
> >are you using, anyways?
>
> Thanks for your response!
> 
> I had made a mistake in calling it MiniTerm, it is in reality called
> TinyTerm and I did find it at http://www.midware.com/tterm.html.
> Unfortunately, these people think it is made of gold at the price
> they want for it.
> 
> The accounting system I am using is Synchronics Counterpoint which
> has just recently ported to Linux which is a major step for
> them. They are usually the kind of software mfg. that says conform
> to us or else. I have used this program for some time in a Windows
> Client/Server network and it is very expensive so I am reluctant to
> quit using it. If I can make it work in Linux, I will be very
> pleased.
> 
> They are the ones recommending TinyTerm because of it's particular
> ansi emulation and printing capabilities. TinyTerm is for use on the
> Linux Box itself or from workstations on the network. With-out some
> kind of ansi emulation on the Linux box, the program won't work. So
> I will have to buy TinyTerm or find a substitute that will work.

Ahah!  That makes a lot more sense (and they have a lot of nerve charging
$199 for a simple terminal emulator).  It looks like they don't even
have the Unix version of TinyTerm ready yet, so it's not even an option.

Try accessing your accounting system by just using the Linux console
(or xterm, rxvt or gnome-terminal) and telnet.  They are all based on
the Digital VT terminal specs, which are a superset of the ANSI
terminal specification.  If none of the above works, try fiddling with
the stty command, to see if you can coax something that way.  If you
still aren't completely set, get yourself involved in gnome-terminal
development.  I'm sure that having an ANSI-standard mode would be a
good thing that more than just you would use.

Best of Luck,
-Gleef