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VIDTEX review [message #64897] Sat, 18 May 2013 21:01
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: joels@tektronix.UUCP (Joel Swank)
Message-ID: <2590@tektronix.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 24-May-84 01:01:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: tektroni.2590
Posted: Thu May 24 01:01:26 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 21-May-84 05:15:20 EDT
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 50


    VIDTEX is a terminal emulation program for the Commodore 64. It is sold
by Compuserve for use with their system. Following are the major features
of VIDTEX:

	    RAM buffer capture
	    Print from buffer or direct from host
	    Definable function keys (10)
	    Error correcting upload and download directly from/to disk
	    Transmit/load/save from/to buffer
	    Autolog files
	    Auto Start program
	    3 online help/menu screens
	    Flow control
	    User selectable RS232 options.
	    Compuserve compatible graphics (80x50)
	    Screen print and save to buffer
	    Disk directory list and scratch commands
	    End of line formatting
	    Send ahead pages

    VIDTEX, as it comes, does not work at 1200 baud. There is a patch in the
the CBM programming SIG to make it work at 1200 baud. I have applied this
patch and it works. I have tried download at 300 and 1200 baud. The error
correcting protocol works well and ensures correct data transmission.
Because of errors and re-transmissions, downloading at 1200 is not practical.
Re-transmissions are rare at 300 baud. 1200 baud is acceptable for browsing
messages and other non-critical activities.
   One of the most powerful features is the autolog file feature. A series
of prompts and responses is entered and saved in a disk file. These files
can then be executed later to perform automatic logon or menu navigation.
The only major shortcoming in VIDTEX is the lack of a way to edit autolog
files. If you type in a sequence and get something wrong, you have to type
the whole thing in again. The files are of a non standard format and cannot
be edited with any editor that I know of.
   I have used VIDTEX with UNIX. I have built a termcap that works with both
vi and rogue. Rogue overwrites the second line of the screen with messages
and the right half of the status line at the bottom is missing. To work with
vi the end of line formatting must be disabled. There are some problems with
UNIX. The worst is the lack of a tilde character. The cursor keys do not 
generate ASCII codes so hjkl must be used. There is no highlight or reverse
mode. There is no reverse scroll.
   The manual is 58 pages. It is well written, well organized, and complete.
The only thing not included is a description of the error correction protocol.
   VIDTEX has a few minor bugs. Entering a null line in response to a file
name prompt will cause various problems. Initialization spaces the printer
one line. When the RAM buffer fills, the display locks up until you go to
the menu screen and back. 

Joel Swank
Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Re: VIDTEX review [message #64899 is a reply to message #64897] Sat, 18 May 2013 21:01 Go to previous message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: jmw@sdchema.UUCP (John M. Wright)
Message-ID: <140@sdchema.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-May-84 16:45:27 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdchema.140
Posted: Mon May 21 16:45:27 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 22-May-84 19:11:29 EDT
References: <2590@tektronix.UUCP>
Organization: UC San Diego Chemistry Dept.
Lines: 6

[]
I (and perhaps others on the net) would appreciate your termcap
for VIDTEX.

John Wright  (-!ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdchema!jmw)
UCSD, La Jolla, CA
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