Re: Older Equiptment

[Micah Yoder <LYoder@cyberis.net>]

Roman Suzi wrote:

> - DOS computer with TCP/IP stack and good enough (by Linux
>   standards) telnet.
> 
>   Is there any TCP/IP (or IPX? can IPX be used to telnet?)  stack
>   which could be boot from ONE 1.44/1.2 floppy? (diskless station)
> 
>   That is, without bootROM and HardDrive?
> 
>   (The target computer has as little as 1 MB RAM)
> 
>   What other  protocol could be used over ethernet to
>   make terminal connection? Any solutions?

I believe a DOS TCP/IP stack exists, but I don't know anything about
it.  I hear Lynx runs on it, and I immagine telnet does also.  But since
DOS does not have any kind of IPC, I think the TCP/IP stack has to be
linked into the program statically.  Crappy, yeah, but it would work.

> - serial cable (null-modem) to the Linux server.
>   Which terminal program is best (makes better terminal) ?

Telix!

As for null modems, they would limit the distance the terminals could be
away from the server.  I think it's something like 75 feet, but maybe
it's less.

Also, you'd have to have a multiport serial board on the server, and
those things aren't necessarily cheap.  How much do 16 port boards run?

If those two issues aren't a problem, serial would probably be
preferrable to ethernet.

Another issue... if we do either of these, we'll need character mode
educational apps!  Do any exist?  Are we going to write them?  Is it
worth writing them when almost everyone wants a GUI?