Re: Looking for the perfect 5250 client...

["Jerome Draper" <jdraper@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Simply, the 27x132 font issue does not come into play until a command buried
in the 5250 data stream is received by the emulation program.  This command
only occurs when the defined terminal type on the AS400 is 27x132 capable
(ie 3180 is but 5251 mod 11 is not).

Given that most all of us use emulators configured for a terminal type
supporting 27x132 mode readability is THE issue.  You will find that some
emulators simply use fonts delivered by MS Windows and you can fool around
with the MS fonts until you find one that you like and can read.

Other companies (like Synapse) have chosen to build 5250 specific fonts that
are readable in 27x132 mode even in resolutions of 640 x 480.  MS Windows
supplied fonts typically do NOT include AS400 specific characters like the
dup key thingy and others so that is another advantage to 5250 specific font
sets.

Bottom line is readibility of the 27x132 font in whatever resolution you
use.  Not everyone is sitting at 1024 x 768 on 17" monitors or better.  Lots
of folk still use 800 x 600 on 15" monitors or less.  Both font quality and
resolution are factors.

Regards,

Jerry



----- Original Message -----
From: Dan Bale <dbale@samsa.com>
To: <midrange-l@midrange.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2002 8:36 AM
Subject: RE: Looking for the perfect 5250 client...


> Finally back in the office after working offsite for a few days...  So I
am
> replying here before I read through the entire thread.
>
> I will defer to Jerry's expertise on matters of 5250 clients.  However, in
> my experience I have found that the particular 5250 clients used either
have
> good or bad 27x132 renderings, supposedly by the fonts they use.  CA in
> v3r1m2 had a service pack that vastly improved the readability in 27x132
> mode.  CA, IMHO, has the clearest 27x132 view I've ever seen.  The ViewNow
> client has a very good 27x132 mode.  Attachmate Extra! Personal Client was
> horrible; I tried every available font to no satisfaction.  Others from
way
> back, I've forgotten.  Jerry, what do you mean by terminal type?  I have
> used the same AS/400 terminal type on every different client with
different
> viewing results.  My experience with this does not match yours.
>
> Dan Bale
> SAMSA, Inc.
> 989-790-0507
> DBale@SAMSA.com <mailto:DBale@SAMSA.com>
>   Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
>   (Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
> [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of Jerome Draper
> Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 5:09 PM
> To: midrange-l@midrange.com
> Subject: Re: Looking for the perfect 5250 client...
>
>
> > > The 27x132 mode is very readable.  I do all my editing in this mode.
> >
> > This is probably more a feature of the font you're using than it is the
> > emulator itself.
>
> I don't believe that it's a font issue as it is related to terminal type
> that senses the width of the data in the 5250 stream and then
automagically
> switches from 80 column mode to 132 column mode.
>
> Jerry
>
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