Terminal Emulator

[John H. Reinhardt]

On 10/1/2021 12:34 PM, Zane Healy wrote:
> On Oct 1, 2021, at 9:36 AM, <jwest at classiccmp.org> <jwest at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>>
>> Zane wrote...
>> A few years ago, I looked at ZOC v7, and others.  I opted for SecureCRT, and use it on my Mac and my iPad.  Though the Mac version is well over $100.  It seems to have about the best DEC Terminal emulation I could find on the Mac, and it supports keyboard mapping.
>> ----------
>>
>> Seconded on "SecureCRT". It is one of the few programs that I pay for a license for. I do believe it has the most complete/solid vt100 and other dec terms emulation I have ever seen. Most other term progs only support the basics of vt100 and a few more advanced options. I haven't found anything yet that securecrt doesn't implement and implement correctly as far as vt100 goes. I have never needed anything color-related though, that may or may not be as well done.
>>
>> I paid for a windows license, but I believe I also get free access to linux and mac versions just for licensing the windows version. In addition, every time I have emailed them (Van Dyke) and said "hey, would be handy to have feature xxx", it has come out in the next version. The really do listen to customers for product enhancements/features.
>>
>> It is the only term program I use, as it literally handles anything I've ever considered possibly wanting to do (including a pretty full featured scripting language). There is one exception - HP terminal emulation - specifically the ones with the 8 function labels at the bottom of the screen. For anything old-HP related, I use QCterm. Also free, and does a great job with all the funky HP terminal oddities 😃
>>
>> SecureCRT for windows - software + 1 year of support = $99usd. I do the 3yr option instead which is $139usd. Of all the software products I have paid for, this one is probably the best value to me.
>>
>> J
> 
> I do keep a VT420 on a DECserver next to my Mac, as sometimes it’s more convenient to have the proper LK401 keyboard.  My only complaint about SecureCRT would be its handling of Double-Width/Double-Height characters, but that’s not something you normally run into.
> 
> It would be nice if they’d add REGIS support. :-)
> 
> As long as you have active support, you get free upgrades.
> 
> It’s xterm emulation offers 256 colour.  VT100/VT102/VT220/VT320 emulation offers ANSI Colour, but I’ve never played with that.  Trying it just now, it gives me colours on a Linux system.  I don’t know that I have anything on VMS that would give colours.
> 
> Zane
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> 
> 


I tried SecureCRT a couple of times, once for home use and once at work.  I didn't like it but I can't remember why.  ZOC has done everything I need.  Between the Matias keyboard which has 19 F keys and the correct number of keypad keys (not PC layout) and the ZOC keyboard mapping I have pretty much a VT200 style keyboard on my Mac.

Em-Tec gives product support for life, basically. I've emailed the author and gotten responses and help immediately.  Once you buy a version you get updates until the next major version and if you buy late into the current version you often get the next version free.  That happened to me between V6 and V7.  V7 went nearly 3 years before I had to upgrade by paying $29.99.

In 2018 V7.21 of ZOC scored 105 (97 regular + 8 extra credit) on the VTTEST suite for VT100/VT102 terminals. file:///Volumes/Users/jhreinhardt/Downloads/ZOC_vttest_Score_Sheet-1.pdf

No REGIS graphics though.  It will do the VT line drawing character set. https://www.emtec.com/zoc/vt220-terminal-emulator.html

Double-width/double-height lines work  https://www.emtec.com/images/zoc/us/mainwinvt102_osx.png

I've not had it have a problem with any part of VT100/102/200 emulation that I can remember.

-- 
John H. Reinhardt