Re: MiniTerm

["Fred W. Smith" <fsmith computersandthings com>]

Subject: Re: MiniTerm


>
>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.
>



Thanks for the encouragement,

I'll give your suggestions a try. I have downloaded Screen which allows the
program to work when you start it with screen -T ansi, but it doesn't quite
have the lines around the display  (it uses dddddd instead of ----- for
lines) boxes right and some of the key functions don't work quite right, but
I may not have Screen configured correctly either. I have never been a
programmer, though the idea facinates me, which is what attracted me to
Linux initially. Perhaps if I can get some time in the near future. It is
fun learning new things and ideas, especially when you want to learn instead
of having to learn, just to make a living.

Talk to you soon, and keep up the good work.

Fred