homemade computer for fun and experience...

From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Tue Apr 6 22:00:23 1999

<This is going to be a YMMV thing, but I've never had problems with normal
<serial terminals, especially not DEC ones.

AS someone actively running s100 and assorted other cpm systems... A soft
terminal that can emulate ADM1, ADM3, Vt100 and telvideo covers the crowd
right up until you get some oddball code that used a 64x16 VDM1. The
reality was no standards and it's really not gotten that much better.

My solution... An H19 thats over 21, A vt100 (all others are broken),
a few Vt320s and a Vt340. The thing is I also run DEC hardware and while
they will support any ansi tube a real VT is still easier to use.

<> I have never had a desire for DEC hardware, mainly because of my distast
<> (and disdain) for their application of technology, and of course for thei

Personal preference. I happen to like them and they seem to run a long
time. At least all of mine still runs and the 11/03 cpu I have has turned
20!

<Don't forget that this started with somebody who wanted to homebrew their
<first computer. In which case it should be as simple as possible.

therein is the essence of the string and why terminals are somewhat nicer
even if they lack color graphics you can play doom on.

<> See . . . there are reasons NOT to use a terminal.
<
<Sure. Not every machine should use a serial terminal, but equally, not
<every machine needs a built-in graphics display. Which you build is up to
<you.

I'll add you still need a serial line for a modem. Then you still need a
printer. CPM being a nongraphic OS and there is a distinct lack of
software that uses graphics for it... kind of a moot point if you can
have a 1280x1024 color tube. I can say this as I have a visual 1050
that has a rather elaborate display system and there is lttle use for it
save for it can emulate a terminal at a cost of another micro, ram and
firmware to run it. Nothing like debuging two systems and blind at that.

Allison
Received on Tue Apr 06 1999 - 22:00:23 BST