[rescue] DEC keyboards

[Sridhar Ayengar]

Charles Shannon Hendrix wrote:
>>> What did you not like about them?
>> Their software and menu interface is far inferior to the VT4xx 
>> software/menu.  
> 
> I've never liked the UI on any of them myself.

I don't mind the UI on the older ones myself.

>> Plus they break backwards compatibility with the older 
>> series.
> 
> Mine claims it does everything from VT52 onward.
> 
> Is the emulation broken?

Yes.

> It seems to pass the vt100 test.

I've not had any problems with using them with VT100 codes, but they 
don't work that great emulating a VT220 or VT320.

> There were things about how they worked I liked better in the 320, but I
> needed more speed, and being able to use PS/2 keyboards was nice.

Does the VT420 have the same speed issue?

>> Right now I'm trying to find out what the difference is between the IBM 
>> 3151 and 3161 terminals.  I also would probably want to know the 
>> difference between the 3151 and 3153.  I know the 3153 is a lot newer.
> 
> Ah, actually I have seen those. I assumed they were just repackaged
> 3270/mainframe terminals.

Nope.  ASCII and RS-232/RS-422.

> Even the IBM shops I've been in used DEC and Esprit terminals.

I guess I could be called an "IBM shop", but I used to have a 
combination of VT320s and VT340s.  Now I have VT420s and VT340s.

> Will definitely check those out. I still use terminals, even for real
> work.

Me too.  But I'm interesting in getting a load of terminals with better 
keyboards.  I can't tolerate the LK201.  The LK401 was better, but IBM's 
terminal keyboards are a giant leap upwards for me.

>> Plus I'm seeing if I can find a 3164 or two for cheap, and I'm seeing if 
>> NetBSD can address these terminals in block mode.
> 
> You mean block mode as in page oriented terminal, or something else?

Yes.  Page-oriented.  I doubt it's possible, but on the off chance, I'd 
like to use it that way.

Peace...  Sridhar