Msg: 5251 *Conference*

07-31-94 21:46:13

From: RICHARD HANSON

To : COMET _

Subj: REPLY TO MSG #5243 (VAX)

Thank you ... yes, I understand what a DEC VAX is and I, too, have used these
machines in years gone by at several universities--I even owned the BTI 3000
that once ran Golden Gate University in SF, for awhile.

However, you are correct: VT100 emulation would not cause the problems she
indicated--I know that, as well.  I also know that DEC supports ASCII.  In
fact, DEC was one of the first computer companies to adopt the ANSI ASCII
standard--a departure from EBCDIC.  I also know that Bill Gates and his buddies
used to hang out over at DEC after school and debug their, new, multi-user
operating system.  Trivia!

If she did enter a VT100 node in ASCII mode she would get all sorts of other
codes--screen display codes--as well.  However, there still may be a missmatch
someplace.  Where?  Perhaps the host modem is answering at 300 baud but the
host program does not recognize 300 baud (Bell 103) operations.

My point was to give her "something technical" to go back to her support folks
with.  "Something" that will force them to address her concerns.

FYI: I just got back from being away for the weekend and noted that she logged
back on but, unfortunately, she logged on as MARYANN, not MARY ANN.  Thus, she
did not see our messages.  I quickly called and left a voice message on her
business voice mail in IL explaning that we had responded to her question but
that she logged on under a different name spelling.  Let's hope she gets my
message and comes back.  As you, I am curious about what's going on.