Text-Terminal-HOWTO Text-Terminal-HOWTO Table of Contents Text-Terminal-HOWTO...................................................................................................................................1 David S. Lawyer mailto:dave@lafn.org..................................................................................................1 1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................................1 2. Types of Terminals..............................................................................................................................1 3. Thin Clients Terminals........................................................................................................................1 4. Quick Text-Terminal Install................................................................................................................2 5. Why Use a Terminal ?.........................................................................................................................2 6. Overview of How Text Terminals Work (in Linux)............................................................................2 7. Terminal Special Files such as /dev/tty...............................................................................................2 8. Some Details on How Terminals Work...............................................................................................2 9. Special Features/Types of Some Terminals.........................................................................................2 10. Terminal Emulation (including the Console)....................................................................................3 11. Flow Control (Handshaking).............................................................................................................3 12. Physical Connection..........................................................................................................................3 13. Set-Up (Configure) in General...........................................................................................................3 14. Terminal Set-Up (Configure) Details................................................................................................4 15. Computer Set-Up (Configure) Details...............................................................................................4 16. Terminfo and Termcap (detailed)......................................................................................................4 17. Using the Terminal............................................................................................................................4 18. Special Uses for a Terminal...............................................................................................................5 19. Trouble-Shooting...............................................................................................................................5 20. Repair & Diagnose.............................................................................................................................5 21. Appendix A: General.........................................................................................................................6 22. Appendix B: Escape Sequence Commands Terminology.................................................................6 23. Appendix C: Serial Communications on EIA-232 (RS-232)............................................................6 24. Appendix D: Notes by Brand/Model.................................................................................................6 1. Introduction.........................................................................................................................................7 1.1 Copyright, Trademarks, Disclaimer, & Credits.................................................................................7 Copyright...........................................................................................................................................7 Disclaimer.........................................................................................................................................7 Trademarks........................................................................................................................................7 Credits...............................................................................................................................................7 1.2 Future Plans: You Can Help..............................................................................................................7 1.3 New Versions of this HOWTO..........................................................................................................8 1.4 Related HOWTOs.............................................................................................................................8 1.5 Terminology Used in this Document.................................................................................................9 1.6 What is a Terminal ?..........................................................................................................................9 1.7 Real Text Terminals...........................................................................................................................9 2. Types of Terminals............................................................................................................................10 2.1 Dumb Terminals..............................................................................................................................10 2.2 Text Terminals.................................................................................................................................10 2.3 Graphic GUI Capabilities of Text Terminals...................................................................................11 Graphics GUI displays...................................................................................................................11 3. Thin Clients Terminals......................................................................................................................11 3.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................................11 3.2 MS Window terminals.....................................................................................................................12 3.3 Network computers (NC's)..............................................................................................................13 3.4 Thin clients and NCs under Linux..................................................................................................13 i Text-Terminal-HOWTO Table of Contents Text-Terminal-HOWTO 3.5 Hardware hookups...........................................................................................................................14 3.6 History and the future......................................................................................................................14 4. Quick Text-Terminal Install.............................................................................................................15 5. Why Use a Terminal ?.......................................................................................................................15 5.1 Intro to Why Use a Terminal...........................................................................................................15 5.2 Lower Hardware Costs ?..................................................................................................................16 5.3 Control of Software..........................................................................................................................16 5.4 Hardware Upgrades.........................................................................................................................16 5.5 Other Advantages of Terminals.......................................................................................................16 5.6 Major Disadvantages of Text Terminals..........................................................................................17 5.7 Major Disadvantages of All Terminals............................................................................................17 5.8 Are Text Terminals Obsolete ?........................................................................................................17 6. Overview of How Text Terminals Work (in Linux).........................................................................17 6.1 Device Names.................................................................................................................................18 6.2 Login/Logout...................................................................................................................................18 6.3 Half/Full Duplex.............................................................................................................................18 6.4 Terminal Memory............................................................................................................................18 6.5 Commands for the Terminal............................................................................................................18 6.6 Lack of Standardization Solved by Terminfo..................................................................................19