On implementing the ISO virtual terminal protocol for a UNIX 4.2 BSD environment

• Main Author: Ng, Steve Chi Ho
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2010
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/28292

Virtual terminal protocols provide remote terminal-oriented communications between network users. They are designed to allow terminals and hosts on a heterogeneous network to communicate without requiring one side to "know" the terminal characteristics handled by the other side. With the diversification of different types of terminals, there is a tremenduous interest in research and design of such protocols. In this thesis we consider the design and implementation of a virtual terminal protocol, that is, the ISO VTP described by ISO documents DIS 9040 and DIS 9041. In particular, we implemented and tested the usefulness of the ISO VTP under the UNIX environment. We conclude that the ISO VTP is useful in the UNIX environment. However, several inconsistencies and incomplete information in the ISO documentation, that require further revisions by the standard committee, are identified. Furthermore, we compare the ISO VTP with other terminal protocols, such as ARPANET TELNET and CCITT PAD Facility, pointing out their differences and short-comings. === Science, Faculty of === Computer Science, Department of === Graduate