Hardcopy Terminals - (nf)
clemc@sri-unix
ucbcad!clemc Oct 23 14:44:00 1982
The Tek 4025A is a newer version for the 4025 and there is an
upgrade for the old ones. This is a new CPU board that runs a 12 Meg
8085 (I think). The key is that is can handle 9600 without
handshaking. (Call your salesman for details).
At one time, there was an "Custom Mod" that fixed the the
"design feature" of the cursor movement bug. (which I contend is a
bug), I never knew the details and it may have never been released.
Again, ask you salesman to check with Tek Custom Mods for that "fix".
I had a Tek4025 on my desk for 2.5 years when I was in industry
and here at UCB I had to use both a HP2648 and a HP2621 terminal (I
later conned UCB into letting be get an AAA so I did not have to use
the HP's). The HP's are deploriable for different reasons, but the
4025 was described as "Funky" by a few others.
The major good features of the 4025 are:
A completely professional keyboard. You can touch type on it.
The attention to detail (like indenting the home keys a little more and
"stronger" spring in the key for ERASE and BREAK so you can tell them
for the others) is amazing. I've never used a better keyboard on
a computer terminal.
A FULLY programmable keyboard. The key here is that not one key
is special (unlike the AAA). All keys are programmable. This is
really handy. I used to run a "CU" like program that used "^D" as the
quit character. I can reprogram my ^D key to be a \^D (so It sent
through) and then another key (like the ZERO key on the keypad) to be
^D so I could exit). Then I had an "normal" keyboard.
On a clear day you can scroll for ever. People have already
talked about the scrolling feature of thsi terminal, but I will say,
how much I LOVE lots of memory on my terminal.
The major bad feature will be described below and in
an earlier message people discussed the "funky" cursor problem.
The HP's have two major problems. But are different but
related. The HP 2621 would not be bad except for the Software
CAPS-LOCK key. (Which is further screwed because it's in the wrong
place). A CAP-LOCK (or what Tek called "TTY LOCK") can be SW
controlled: IF and Only IF: It is AWAY from the "normal" key possition
(like Tek's in the upper corner) and there is some sort of feedback
saying it's been "depressed" (Tek uses an LED in the keycap).
The HP2648 is fine except "normal" folks can not type on it.
They dont suffer CAPS-LOCK problems but suffer from other problems.
The keybaord is loved many sloppy folks because it's very mushy. Us
normal folk on the other hand... (I am being "cute" here). I suppose
if I had never been spoiled by the Ann Arbor and the Tek's professional
keyboards, I might Not detest the HP. The other 2648 problem is that
the keyboard is not really programmable. (Plus its slow, needs HP
ACK/NAK handshaking if you send continous to it).
Now to knock BOTH terminals they suffer from one major (shared)
problem. They are TOO expensive. My vote is for the simple, well
thoughtout Ann Arbor with a nice quick computer behind it!!
(My home workstation)
Clem