[9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[john]

http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-full.jpeg
http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-screen.jpeg

Just threw this onto my CPU server (yes, mock my slow processor, it
was free) and was once again pleased with how easy it is to set stuff
up on Plan 9.  Just one line in plan9.ini and I was rocking.


John Floren

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[ron minnich]

On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 7:10 PM,  <john@csplan9.rit.edu> wrote:
>
> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-full.jpeg
> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-screen.jpeg
>
> Just threw this onto my CPU server (yes, mock my slow processor, it
> was free) and was once again pleased with how easy it is to set stuff
> up on Plan 9.  Just one line in plan9.ini and I was rocking.
>
>


Love the green phosphor. Is it persistent? :-)

ron

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[john]

> On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 7:10 PM,  <john@csplan9.rit.edu> wrote:
>>
>> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-full.jpeg
>> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-screen.jpeg
>>
>> Just threw this onto my CPU server (yes, mock my slow processor, it
>> was free) and was once again pleased with how easy it is to set stuff
>> up on Plan 9.  Just one line in plan9.ini and I was rocking.
>>
>>
>
>
> Love the green phosphor. Is it persistent? :-)
>
> ron

Yeah, it's pretty persistent.  Also, the green phosphor has a lovely
tendency to make everything look purple after you've been working with
the terminal for about half an hour.

I only wish the ADM-3A didn't make that high-pitched whining noise
(flyback problem, apparently), because it looks even cooler and has a
very good UNIX keyboard.  I guess I'll have to wait until I get older
and can't hear such high frequencies any more.



John Floren

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Benjamin Huntsman]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 171 bytes --]

>Just one line in plan9.ini and I was rocking.

I'll have to break out my amber-screen vt420 and give it a try.  Probably not terribly useful w/o a mouse, though! :)


[-- Attachment #2: winmail.dat --]
[-- Type: application/ms-tnef, Size: 2391 bytes --]

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[john]

>>Just one line in plan9.ini and I was rocking.
>
> I'll have to break out my amber-screen vt420 and give it a try.  Probably not terribly useful w/o a mouse, though! :)

If somebody (not necessarily me) was to put interrupt functionality
into rc, you could basically experience 70s UNIX again--assuming you
are happy using ed.  I'd try putting in the interrupt thing, but I
expect it would require removing the functionality from rio, which I
don't care to do :)

John

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[blstuart]

>>Just one line in plan9.ini and I was rocking.
>
> I'll have to break out my amber-screen vt420 and give it a try.
>  Probably not terribly useful w/o a mouse, though! :)

But it's not bad as the console of a file server.  My vt220
is on an RS232 switch so it can be the console of a couple
of machines.

BLS

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[erik quanstrom]

> If somebody (not necessarily me) was to put interrupt functionality
> into rc, you could basically experience 70s UNIX again--assuming you
> are happy using ed.  I'd try putting in the interrupt thing, but I
> expect it would require removing the functionality from rio, which I
> don't care to do :)

rc with co-routines?

- erik

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Russ Cox]

> If somebody (not necessarily me) was to put interrupt functionality
> into rc, you could basically experience 70s UNIX again--assuming you
> are happy using ed.  I'd try putting in the interrupt thing, but I
> expect it would require removing the functionality from rio, which I
> don't care to do :)

"interrupt functionality" in rio is very simple.
when rio is processing keyboard input (which
it must do anyway, to multiplex the keyboard
among the many windows), if it sees a DEL,
it writes "interrupt" to /proc/pid/notepg, where
pid is the pid of the original rc process that rio
kicked off for that window.

it doesn't make sense to put this into rc
or take it out of rio, because rc doesn't process
keyboard input (especially when it is waiting
for a subshell to complete), and rio must, for
multiplexing.

if you want to be able to use DEL to stop programs
without running rio, the right way to do that is to
write a little input processing shim that opens
/dev/cons in raw mode and then presents a new
/dev/cons, /dev/consctl as a file server and kicks
off a subshell.  mostly it just makes input from the
original /dev/cons available on the new one,
but when it sees a DEL in non-raw mode, it
writes "interrupt" to the notepg file.  this little file
server would be independent of the shell or
program running.

i doubt it would be very long.

russ

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Eris Discordia]

> [...] Last thing I did before I  packed  it  in  was take the superimposed
> picture and look at it through a green  filter.  You remember I was
> always superstitious about the color green  when  I  was  a kid? I always
> wanted to be a pilot on one of the trading scouts?

I love green and I admire your taste, John Floren.

By the way, this was the first picture of a VT220 I had ever seen in my
life. The no-frills keyboard looks even cooler than the display.

--On Wednesday, January 07, 2009 10:10 PM -0500 john@csplan9.rit.edu wrote:

>
> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-full.jpeg
> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-screen.jpeg
>
> Just threw this onto my CPU server (yes, mock my slow processor, it
> was free) and was once again pleased with how easy it is to set stuff
> up on Plan 9.  Just one line in plan9.ini and I was rocking.
>
>
> John Floren
>
>

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[john]

>> [...] Last thing I did before I  packed  it  in  was take the superimposed
>> picture and look at it through a green  filter.  You remember I was
>> always superstitious about the color green  when  I  was  a kid? I always
>> wanted to be a pilot on one of the trading scouts?
>
> I love green and I admire your taste, John Floren.
>

Thank you


> By the way, this was the first picture of a VT220 I had ever seen in my
> life. The no-frills keyboard looks even cooler than the display.

The keyboard is nice to type on, but unfortunately it's a VMS layout;
there is also a UNIX layout but I don't have that.  The result is that
I have a really long keyboard (it has a numberpad/EDIT keypad
off-screen to the right) instead of a short keypad-less UNIX board,
and the Control key is on the wrong side of the caps lock key.  Still,
a fun piece of equipment.


John

>
> --On Wednesday, January 07, 2009 10:10 PM -0500 john@csplan9.rit.edu wrote:
>
>>
>> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-full.jpeg
>> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-screen.jpeg
>>
>> Just threw this onto my CPU server (yes, mock my slow processor, it
>> was free) and was once again pleased with how easy it is to set stuff
>> up on Plan 9.  Just one line in plan9.ini and I was rocking.
>>
>>
>> John Floren
>>
>>

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Eris Discordia]

What'd you say if you had my keyboard? It's got a couple of (useful)
Windows keys, a numeric pad, and some "multimedia" keys. Can't complain, to
each their lot ;-)

And for the oldies fun: last week I had to replace an AT type PSU and get
the right wires (white, black, brown, blue) connected to the right pins or
the replacement would go where the fried one went. Don't ask how I found
the replacement in the first place.

--On Thursday, January 08, 2009 2:20 PM -0500 john@csplan9.rit.edu wrote:

>>> [...] Last thing I did before I  packed  it  in  was take the
>>> superimposed picture and look at it through a green  filter.  You
>>> remember I was always superstitious about the color green  when  I  was
>>> a kid? I always wanted to be a pilot on one of the trading scouts?
>>
>> I love green and I admire your taste, John Floren.
>>
>
> Thank you
>
>
>> By the way, this was the first picture of a VT220 I had ever seen in my
>> life. The no-frills keyboard looks even cooler than the display.
>
> The keyboard is nice to type on, but unfortunately it's a VMS layout;
> there is also a UNIX layout but I don't have that.  The result is that
> I have a really long keyboard (it has a numberpad/EDIT keypad
> off-screen to the right) instead of a short keypad-less UNIX board,
> and the Control key is on the wrong side of the caps lock key.  Still,
> a fun piece of equipment.
>
>
> John
>
>>
>> --On Wednesday, January 07, 2009 10:10 PM -0500 john@csplan9.rit.edu
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-full.jpeg
>>> http://csplan9.rit.edu/users/john/plan9vt220-screen.jpeg
>>>
>>> Just threw this onto my CPU server (yes, mock my slow processor, it
>>> was free) and was once again pleased with how easy it is to set stuff
>>> up on Plan 9.  Just one line in plan9.ini and I was rocking.
>>>
>>>
>>> John Floren
>>>
>>>
>
>

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[matt]

Eris Discordia wrote:
> What'd you say if you had my keyboard?
I'd say "yay, she can't type any more of that goddam shite"

j/k :>

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[matt]

Eris Discordia wrote:
> What'd you say if you had my keyboard? I


*and* what would you say if you had mine ?

http://www.proweb.co.uk/~matt/maltron.jpg

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Anthony Sorace]

i'd say "short read reading <nil>", apparently.

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[matt]

Anthony Sorace wrote:
> i'd say "short read reading <nil>", apparently.
>
hmm fixed

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[John Waters]

> What'd you say if you had my keyboard? I

I would say that I need to find some more activities for your key.

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Eris Discordia]

Late bloomers, eh? I wrote that... lemme see... more than two weeks ago and
I get responses now?!

By the way, you have an utterly strange, yet totally fascinating, keyboard,
matt. Why exactly does it have to be shaped like that? I mean, are you
using a Maltron because you are an ergonomics buff or because you have to?

--On Tuesday, January 27, 2009 1:31 PM +0000 matt <mattmobile@proweb.co.uk>
wrote:

> Eris Discordia wrote:
>> What'd you say if you had my keyboard?
> I'd say "yay, she can't type any more of that goddam shite"
>
> j/k :>
>
>



--On Tuesday, January 27, 2009 1:46 PM +0000 matt <mattmobile@proweb.co.uk>
wrote:

> Eris Discordia wrote:
>> What'd you say if you had my keyboard? I
>
>
> *and* what would you say if you had mine ?
>
> http://www.proweb.co.uk/~matt/maltron.jpg
>
>



--On Tuesday, January 27, 2009 8:56 AM -0500 Anthony Sorace
<anothy@gmail.com> wrote:

> i'd say "short read reading <nil>", apparently.
>



--On Tuesday, January 27, 2009 2:30 PM +0000 matt <mattmobile@proweb.co.uk>
wrote:

> Anthony Sorace wrote:
>> i'd say "short read reading <nil>", apparently.
>>
> hmm fixed
>
>



--On Tuesday, January 27, 2009 6:27 PM +0300 John Waters
<jcwjr215@gmail.com> wrote:

>> What'd you say if you had my keyboard? I
>
> I would say that I need to find some more activities for your key.
>

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Akshat Kumar]

2009/1/27 Eris Discordia <eris.discordia@gmail.com>:
...
> Why exactly does it have to be shaped like that? I mean, are you using
> a Maltron because ...
>

http://www.maltron.com/maltron-kbd-single.html

with the left, I feel and touch
with the right, I coordinate
for Plan 9, I was designed
ak

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[matt]

Eris Discordia wrote:
> Late bloomers, eh? I wrote that... lemme see... more than two weeks
> ago and I get responses now?!
>
> By the way, you have an utterly strange, yet totally fascinating,
> keyboard, matt. Why exactly does it have to be shaped like that? I
> mean, are you using a Maltron because you are an ergonomics buff or
> because you have to?
Yeah, I 've been away, had 700+ 9fans mails to go through

I got that kb for the sake of exploring the world. I've not got to speed
with it yet. Though I rather wish it was the left hand version because
of Plan9 chording etc. - either that or train my left hand to mouse.

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Akshat Kumar]

2009/1/27 Eris Discordia <eris.discordia@gmail.com>:
...
> Ergonomics is a successful sales pitch, after all.

Yes, Plan 9 should have kept it succinct and simply
employed that as a (marketing) buzzword.


"research", "simplicity", ...,
let record show that these aren't marketable
in the software industry
ak

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Eris Discordia]

> yes, it is *also* hard to mistype on it.

Yeah, you have a point there. It's unimaginable to me how someone can type
on that keyboard, but it seems some people do and do well.

My question's target was whether it's because of a motor disability that
matt uses a Maltron or out of personal choice. Apparently, people do it out
of personal choice so I assume matt's case is the same (not that all
exceptions have been excluded, but anyway). Ergonomics is a successful
sales pitch, after all.

--On Wednesday, January 28, 2009 3:31 AM +0100 Gorka Guardiola
<paurea@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 12:00 AM, Jonas Amoson <jonas.amoson@home.se>
> wrote:
>> it is quite hard to mistype on it...
>>
>
> yes, it is *also* hard to mistype on it.
>
>
> --
> - curiosity sKilled the cat
>

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Gorka Guardiola]

On Wed, Jan 28, 2009 at 12:00 AM, Jonas Amoson <jonas.amoson@home.se> wrote:
> it is quite hard to mistype on it...
>

yes, it is *also* hard to mistype on it.


--
- curiosity sKilled the cat

Re: [9fans] cheap, low-resolution terminal

[Jonas Amoson]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 741 bytes --]

> By the way, you have an utterly strange, yet totally fascinating,
keyboard,

> matt. Why exactly does it have to be shaped like that? I mean, are you
> using a Maltron because you are an ergonomics buff or because you have
to?

Of course he uses one because it looks like something from
outer space, it fits very well with the Plan 9 philosophy.
I am also a very happy user of a Maltron (dual handed)
keyboard. Best keyboard I have used, it is wonderfully
ergonomic, has quality keys (though not IBM-clicky) and
it is quite hard to mistype on it...

/Jonas





<P><p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2" style="font-size:13.5px">_______________________________________________________________<BR> </font>

[-- Attachment #2: Type: text/html, Size: 1104 bytes --]