[MUD-Dev] Clients

[Travis Casey]

On Monday, 23 February 98, Katrina wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Feb 1998 coder at ibm.net wrote:
>> Nope, the core problem with implementing curses support in the MUD server
>> is terminal definition.  In the classical case this was not a problem as
>> the terminal type was defined by the application's environment ($TERM,
>> terminfo, termcap and company).  These resources and that definition
>> ability are not available for a client connecting directly to a port on a
>> server.

> They are as much as it is connecting to port 23 is on a UNIX box.  The 
> telnet protocol is supposed to be able to pass term type (TELOPT_TTYPE == 
> 24).  I agree that some telnet programs are quite stupid about this.  
> However it's not too hard to find a client that works sanely in this regard.

>> How does the server know what terminal type the remote client is
>> emulating?  

> see above.  You query it.

>> Many telnet clients very poorly or partially implement even
>> the VT-* terminal types.  

> See above.

[more similar complaints and answers cut]

It should be noted as well that telnet is the closest we've got to a
universal mud client right now -- thus, getting a better telnet will
not only help the user with your mud, but with just about any mud that
he/she decides to play on.

Indeed, a better telnet client can help with things entirely unrelated
to muds, for those of us who want/need to be able to get a command
line on a machine we work or play on from home.

Lastly, should a mud need certain telnet features, it's not too hard
to seek out a good client for the two popular platforms (Mac and
Windows -- Unix usually comes with a fairly good telnet already) and
link to it from your mud's web site.

Heck, the first thing I do on almost any Windows machine I get is
install CRT -- my personal favorite Windows telnet program.
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