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From: pls@ncsu.UUCP (Phillip L. Shaffer)
Newsgroups: net.info-terms
Subject: Review of Wyse 50 Terminal
Message-ID: <2734@ncsu.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Dec-84 18:03:44 EST
Article-I.D.: ncsu.2734
Posted: Wed Dec  5 18:03:44 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Dec-84 05:59:38 EST
Organization: N.C. State University, Raleigh
Lines: 140


   There was a recent query about Wyse 50 terminals, and there have
been others before.  Since I am using one, and like it a lot, I thought
I would post a brief review of the terminal.
   Overall, I am very impressed with the terminal; considering its
price, I think it is unbeatable.  My comments, in approximate
order of how much they impress me:
  - the large screen -- a 14" screen makes the letters very readable
even if I lean way back in my chair.  It has a 132-column mode, but
I haven't used it yet.  But the terminal occupies less space on my
desk than any other I've used, and seems smaller even with the large
screen, because of the sleek design.  Of course, it tilts and swivels.
  - the keyboard is very nice, at least I like the feel, and generally
the layout.  Most keys are in the right place, except the caps lock
key is below the left shift key rather than above it as I'm used to.
  - there are 16 truly programmable function keys, and counting
shifts, 32 programmable functions, which can store up to 8 characters
each, even with power off.  There is a line at the bottom of the screen
which can be used to display labels, in one of two ways: in 80-col.
mode, you can display 8 8-char. labels in fixed slots, or (the way
I do it) you can display anything, in free form.  Using the latter
approach, I have all 16 key labelled with 3 or 4 letter labels.  But
the really neat part is this: when you press the shift key, the line
changes to show the labels for the shifted functions!  If you put
related labels of the same length in the same places, this is not 
very distracting, but is very useful.  There are also, of course
the usual complement of pre-labelled function keys (non-programmable).
  - it works at up to 38.4 kbaud -- really -- I'm using it now, and
there are no glitches or dropped characters.  Also, it will use either
hardware handshaking (DTR) or software (XON-XOFF) or both, and they
both work fine.
  - all setup can be done from the keyboard, menu-driven, no fumbling
with tiny switches in the back (there are no switches in the back),
and all the settings are remembered when power is off.  The setup does
not interfere with currently displayed data (in most cases) so can be
changed anytime.  Also, all setup can be done by the host computer.
Function keys can also be programmed from the keyboard or by the host.
  - the screen will blank out after about 15 minutes of inactivity (if
you don't disable this feature), so I never turn my terminal off.  But
if I did want to turn it off, the switch is up front where it should
be -- I hate reaching around behind electrical equipment.
  - there are several emulation modes, as well as the native mode:
it emulates Televideo 910, 920, and 925 terminals, as well as
Hazeltine 1500 and Adds Viewpoint.  I am using the 925 mode as it
seemed to offer some features that weren't available in other modes.
  - there are a bunch of features I haven't used: there is a host
message field at the top (a 26th line); this is actually half a line
as the other (left) half is the "local message" field.  Host message
field is used for whatever you want.  Local message field displays
"CAPS" when you press the caps lock you (it doesn't click down) --
this takes a little getting used to, but is no problem.  This field
will also display (but I have it disabled) FDX, INS, LOCK, PROT, etc.
The terminal has a decent set of block graphics.  There are also
"text segments" but I'm not sure what they are -- split screens is my
guess -- I only have the "Quick-reference Guide" which doesn't explain
all that stuff.  That manual makes reference to "Terminal Reference
Manual", but those may be figments of Wyse's imagination.  Generally,
the Quick Reference Manual is quite useful, however.

  Now a few bad points:
  - screen attributes generally occupy a character position on the screen.
I have been told that this can be avoided, but have yet to figure out
how, except for the protected mode, which can be shown by dim or reverse.
Attributes occupying spaces is characteristic of Televideo terminal,
of course, so is necessary for true emulation, but is a real pain.
  - the left shift key sticks a little when pressing it, if the pressure
is not quite vertical; I suspect a small burr on the casting, but
haven't tried to pull it off to see if it's correctable.  The problem
seems to be getting better, anyway.  Other keys have no problems.
  - the power cord plugs into the back, and doesn't make a really
solid connection, so that if I shift the terminal, sometimes power is
lost.
  - there are a bunch of these terminals used by undergraduates in a
computer lab, and the mortality rate has been significant - maybe 15%
in a few months, so you might think twice about buying without local
service available.  But they do seem to be well made on the whole,
and the quality control problems may go away in time.

  Should anyone decide to get one of these, here is a termcap that
I have been using with success with vi; it is modified from some
termcaps on the net earlier, and is for 80 column TVI-925 mode.
The vertical organization is for readability -- no flames, please.

# Wyse 50 in TVI 925 mode, using Host Message line for Status Line
w5|w50|wy50|wyse50:\
        :al=\EE:\
        :am:\
        :bs:\
        :bt=\EI:\
        :bw:\
        :cd=\EY:\
        :ce=\ET:\
        :cl=^Z:\
        :cm=\E=%+ %+ :\
        :co#80:\
	:ct=\E3:\
        :dc=\EW:\
        :dl=\ER:\
        :do=^V:\
	:ds=\EA31:\
	:fs=\r:\
        :ei=\Er:\
        :ho=^^:\
        :hs:\
	:i2=\EA30:\
        :ic=:\
        :if=/usr/lib/tabset/std:\
        :im=\Eq:\
        :is=\E`\072\El:\
        :kb=^H:\
        :kd=^V:\
        :kh=^^:\
        :kl=^H:\
        :kn#32:\
	:ko=ic,al,dc,dl,ce,cd,ei,im,bt,ho:\
        :kr=^L:\
        :ku=^K:\
        :li#24:\
	:mi:\
        :nd=^L:\
        :pt:\
        :se=\EG0:\
        :sg=#1:\
        :so=\EG4:\
	:sr=\Ej:\
	:st=\E1:\
	:ts=\EF:\
        :ue=\EG0:\
        :ug#1:\
        :ul:\
        :up=^K:\
        :us=\EG8:\
        :vb=\E.8\E.9:

  This got a little longer than I anticipated.  Hope it's of value
to someone out there.  If anyone has answers to some of my unanswered
questions about the Wyse 50, I'd love to see them.

Phil Shaffer (pls@ncsu)