Simple Terminals w/ Small Footprints? 30
ylem asks: "I have a Linux box running in my computer room. At times I would like to just have a terminal session running to my box from my living room for programming. I am looking for a laptop type terminal. Very dumb. I am talking VT220 or VT420 type. I checked Wyse but all they have are keyboard and full monitor types. I am looking for small (laptop-sized) and cheap (no CPU, no harddrive, etc). I did a search for on-sale places online but nothing matching my need." Hmmm... this is a description of an odd beast, that I don't think exists (please correct me if I'm wrong). However, a laptop should work just as well. It doesn't have to be a hefty one and something from the used-bin should work just fine. A 486 laptop should be able to handle text mode quite well. What do you folks think?
Re:Use an Apple IIe! (Score:1)
I used an Apple //e for a terminal once but, due to the size of the old monitor, it was too clunky. I used a 25ft null serial cable, an apple Super Serial Card (max speed 9600bps) and Ascii Express.
The novelty wore off too. But oh, how I loved playing Robotron again!
Re:Macintosh SE (Score:1)
You can check on ebay for a card or see if there is a used mac dealer in your area. There are also SCSI to ethernet adapters for Macs w/o any expansion slots.
Yes, cheap used notebooks (Score:1)
This is what I love about Linux, and Unix in general, you don't need to maintain and synchronize 5+ computers, just have access to one computer from everywhere.
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the SlashDot spellchecker:
286 (Score:1)
I had such a setup in my dorm my junior year in college. You can probably get a [23]86 for free if you know where to look, but you'll probably have to leave them plugged in all the time because the battery is liable to be dead and irreplacible.
woggo
Re:Yes, cheap used notebooks (Score:1)
Not entirely true. If all you need to do is boot up with networking and telnet to another machine, 80mb is plenty of room. I've run a stripped down version of Debian that has networking support (with telnetd and ftpd) in a 50mb partition.
Derek Lewis
Buy a crappy laptop (Score:1)
get a real terminal (Score:1)
Get a cheap laptop (Score:1)
So a cheap laptop should do. I bought a refurbished Toshiba (Don't buy a used one from private sale. Warranties are extremely important for laptops, where you can't simply replace a flaky component.). Refurb is the way to go. I'm happy with mine (though I desperately need a RAM upgrade).
Check out this link:
http:// www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Toshiba.wo
How about an old Mac Plus/SE/512? (Score:1)
Laptop standards (Score:1)
Z-Term! (Score:1)
Z-Term is the only way to go.
(In college, I had a Centris650 in my dorm, connected via ISN (a 9600/19200 bps ATT network). The machine was up through the full semester, 'till they made us clear out for christmas break.)
Which brings me to a little known fact:
When first connecting, in the corner, ZTerm displays min:sec, then, after you get to hours, it displays hrs:min....after 60hrs, it displays:
(hrs/60):(remainder)
I think I had that first number up to 30 or so....(ie, 2.5 months)
BSD (Score:1)
picoBSD.
it definately has network support, as I'm using it for a router. (on a borrowed 486, with a 9" b&w monitor I picked up for $10 at a computer show)
Best Terminal Emulator (Score:1)
thx,
bobm
Linux Terminal (Score:1)
Buy a crappier old thing? (Score:1)
If you want a 486 box w/no keyboard or monitor I will send you one if you are willing to pay S&H.
Pinche Gonzales
pinche@prontomail.com
Re:Macintosh SE (Score:1)
backpanel, internal cable and all). Make a
reasonable offer.
Psion Organizers as small terminals (Score:1)
My Psion 3A pocket organizer has a real keyboard and a screen that's legible at 25x80 (though it's pretty small print), and there's free vt100 terminal software available. It's particularly nice for those times that you need to connect to a router console or server computer that you'd normally access with telnet. The Psion is a wonderful beast, with an interesting operating system, good physical design, and a small but fanatical bunch of supporters putting out free and commercial software.
Psion Web Ring [geocities.com]
The 3A has a weird I/O requiring a somewhat expensive adapter cable, but the 3C uses a standard RS-232 cable (and also infrared!) and has a backlit screen. The 5 is a major redesign and can do lots of Internet things on its own. You can pick up a used 3-series model for about $150-200.
Of course, you could get a Palm Pilot and one of the keyboards that goes with it; just because I'm a Psion fan doesn't mean I don't know where the market leader is
Alternative Terminals And Communication Methods (Score:1)
Another option is radio - WebGear [webgear.com] Aviator is a ~2Mbps short-distance radio system that plugs into a parallel port, and they have other models for USB and PCMCIA. I don't know if there are Linux drivers yet or not. Their older models tend to be on sale at Fry's for about $100-150/pair. This means you can have the real PC in your computer room, but sit somewhere comfortable around the house with your laptop.
There are also phone-line and power-line systems for short-distance communications. Most of them are ~19200 instead of megabit speeds, but that's fine for terminal emulation and many programming activities.
Last time I saw a dumb terminal at a computer fair or the physical stores for Halted Specialties [halted.com] or Weird Stuff [weirdstuff.com], it was about $10-20 for a wyse or equivalent.
Old Macintoshes are about $25. They're not as portable as a laptop, but they're a bit smaller than most dumb terminals, and they're cute.
There are all sorts of small portable computers, laptop-like things, industrial portables, penpads, etc. which can be cheap because they're obsolete but are still good enough to use as a remote terminal while sitting on your back porch; some of the industrial models can even be used in your hot tub :-)
Unfortunately, most older portables used specialized batteries, typically NiCad, and the batteries are often dead or near-dead and new replacements can't be found, so you either have to do battery hacking or run them off A/C, and eithe r way you tend to void the watertightness that lets you use them in the tub, as well as being less convenient.
Buy a crappy old thing? (Score:1)
Re:Macintosh SE (Score:1)
Re:Get a cheap laptop (agree w/Toshiba) (Score:2)
Why not Wyse? (Score:2)
The thing works great (though it's text only, and this one monochrome at that). It's basically a self-contained monitor unit with a keyboard. What was your objection to this type of setup?
You can get a cheapie serial terminal such as this for anywhere from $10 to $50 (check eBay).
Now if I can just get used to the keyboard...