[Info-vax] iTerm2 question (Re: OpenVMS graphics - once more)

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2015-08-27 23:53:39 +0000, David Froble said:

> The bottom of my keyboard reads LK411-AA

New LK-style keyboards are not being made, and — even if somebody does 
decide to restart production — they won't be cheap, and they won't be 
ubiquitous, and they won't be available on mobile; on tablets and 
laptops and 'phones.

If working on these packages or these interfaces for your own use, 
that's one thing.  Do whatever piques your interest.

But if you're maintaining software with a serial-line-based UI in an 
existing package or product, keypad-specific dependencies should be 
removed.  That might involve adding a parallel command line and 
prompting within the UI, by adding a network API for remote access from 
command-line or GUI clients, or other means.  But the traditional 
DEC-style LK-based SMG-ish direct-connected serial UI or the 
massive-button-box UI is... passé — and increasingly expensive.   
Requirements for terminal emulators and keyboard mapping and the rest 
of the ensuing baggage just makes the products less interesting to 
current and potential customers, and more expensive to configure and 
maintain and support and train.


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