9 Aug
1998
9 Aug
'98
1:04 a.m.
This is probably not a 10yr thing, but I don't know any other list that's
got this many people that know what they're talking about...
I've got a Wyse WY-50 terminal. From the menus, it's got four modes:
FDX, BLOCK, HDX, H-BLK
After reading (on this list) that the old HP terminals had something
called "block mode", I was wondering what it meant here. Also, what's FDX
and HDX? The first thing that came to my mind was Full Duplex and Half
Duplex, but I don't know how those would apply.
Also, are these terminals just really lacking features or are Linux and
*BSD just not running it right? It seems that tabs get ignored, for one.
And it is just generally awkward looking. (And the arrow keys don't work
in pine, but that's not terribly critical.) It doesn't act in a logical
way at times.
What were these terminals meant to be used with? I got this one from a
AS/400 installation, though I don't know if it was ever actually used for
the AS/400 (they had a whole mess of IBM twin-ax terminals for that).
af
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Fritzler |
afritz(a)delphid.ml.org | Animals who are not penguins can
afritz(a)iname.com | can only wish they were.
http://delphid.ml.org/~afritz/ | -- Chicago Reader
http://www.pst.com/ | 15 Oct 1982
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Aug
9 Aug
6:12 a.m.
At 03:04 09-08-98 -0700, you wrote:
This is probably not a 10yr thing, but I don't know
any other list that's
got this many people that know what they're talking about...
I've got a Wyse WY-50 terminal. From the menus, it's got four modes:
FDX, BLOCK, HDX, H-BLK
After reading (on this list) that the old HP terminals had something
called "block mode", I was wondering what it meant here. Also, what's FDX
and HDX? The first thing that came to my mind was Full Duplex and Half
Duplex, but I don't know how those would apply.
You're correct on block mode. Block is often used in cases where the host
computer downloads an electronic form to the terminal's display. The titles
and format of the form itself are protected, so you just fill in the fields
and press enter. Away it goes.
Example: Most IBM mainframe terminals (the 3270'ish species) are block
mode devices.
As for FDX and HDX, you're right on with the meanings. Some early host
computers couldn't handle full duplex, hence the option for the terminal to
do half duplex. Also, HDX will echo what is typed locally; FDX will not.
I'm not sure what H-BLK is.
Also, are these terminals just really lacking features
or are Linux and
*BSD just not running it right? It seems that tabs get ignored, for one.
And it is just generally awkward looking. (And the arrow keys don't work
in pine, but that's not terribly critical.) It doesn't act in a logical
way at times.
The Wyse 50 can emulate a couple of different terminals. Make sure its
emulation setting and what Linux is expecting agree with each other.
What were these terminals meant to be used with? I got
this one from a
<snip>
Any compatible serial port. ;-) I've seen 'em used on everything from IBM
compatibles to big mainframes, and I've also seen them used by my fellow
radio hamateurs as packet terminals in conjunction with a TNC and radio.
AS/400 installation, though I don't know if it was
ever actually used for
the AS/400 (they had a whole mess of IBM twin-ax terminals for that).
AS/400's are, as I recall, capable of accomodating serial terminals.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272)
(Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin(a)jps.net)
"Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own
human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."
1:15 p.m.
On Sun, 9 Aug 1998, Bruce Lane wrote:
At 03:04 09-08-98 -0700, you wrote:
Anywhere I can get documentation on this block mode? Sounds like it might
be fun to mess with...
Did the wy50 have it's own codes for block or was there some "standard"?
(Somhow I doubt that, though.)
af
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Fritzler |
afritz(a)delphid.ml.org | Animals who are not penguins can
afritz(a)iname.com | can only wish they were.
http://delphid.ml.org/~afritz/ | -- Chicago Reader
http://www.pst.com/ | 15 Oct 1982
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've got a Wyse WY-50 terminal. From the menus, it's got four modes:
FDX, BLOCK, HDX, H-BLK
You're correct on block mode. Block is often used in cases where the host
computer downloads an electronic form to the terminal's display. The titles
and format of the form itself are protected, so you just fill in the fields
and press enter. Away it goes. 
7:11 a.m.
On Sun, 9 Aug 1998, Adam Fritzler wrote:
This is probably not a 10yr thing, but I don't
know any other list that's
I've got a Wyse WY-50 terminal. From the menus, it's got four modes:
FDX, BLOCK, HDX, H-BLK
Oh.. those date back to at least 1984 or 85, so you're ok there ;) You're
correct on the full/half duplex thing. The half-dup just causes the
transmitted keys to display on the screen, without echoing them back from
the host. Block allowed you to locally fill in data on the screen, then
press a key to xmit the whole screen back to the host. I've never seen
anything that used block-mode, besides IBMs and their proprietary
terminals. The FDX mode is probably the thing for 98% of what you might
connect it to.
Also, are these terminals just really lacking features
or are Linux and
*BSD just not running it right? It seems that tabs get ignored, for one.
Somewhere in the setup is an "emulation" parameter. Many of these were
configured to emulate Adds terminals. Which had some of the most stupid,
agravating, annoying command sequences and quirks ever dreamed up. Set
it to WY-50 mode, enable the "enhanced" parameter, and check if your OS
has a driver for this setup. It should behave much better.
What were these terminals meant to be used with? I
got this one from a
AS/400 installation, though I don't know if it was ever actually used for
Probably one of the most popular dumb terminals ever built... Used with
all kinds of multi-user mini and micro systems to this day. Including
DEC, DG, Prime, HP, NCR, Pick, Altos, and all flavors of unix platforms.
They're not the most reliable things; prone to blowing caps on the
crt/psu board after a couple years of service, but easily fixed.
-Wayne Cox
9484
days inactive
9484
days old
3 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
-
afritz＠delphid.ml.org -
kyrrin＠jps.net -
wcox＠mis.usaeroteam.com