What are Dumb Terminals?
The 8-Bit Guy・13 minutes read
Early computers used teletypes for communication, with some models having screens to display characters. Terminals received ASCII code over a serial connection, allowing users to interact with computers using basic text commands and lacking advanced features like color graphics or cursor control.
Insights
- Early computers used switches and lights, not screens, for interaction, while Teletypes enabled users to communicate with computers by typing commands, paving the way for modern interfaces.
- Terminals like the Datapoint 3300 displayed characters on screens, receiving ASCII code over serial connections, showcasing a transition from physical switches to digital displays for human-computer interaction.
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Recent questions
What were early computers equipped with?
Switches and lights.
How did users communicate with early computers?
By typing messages on teletypes.
What were some features of glass teletypes?
Displayed characters on a screen.
How did terminals receive data from computers?
Over a serial data connection.
What were some limitations of early computer terminals?
Limited to monochrome text.
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Summary
00:00
Evolution of Computer Terminals: From Switches to Screens
- Early computers didn't have screens; they had switches and lights.
- Teletypes were used to communicate with computers by typing messages.
- Teletypes were adapted to work with computers, allowing users to type commands.
- Teletypes could be single-user or multi-user systems with multiple machines.
- Original Star Trek episodes featured teletype sounds in the background.
- NASA had computer screens in mission control during the late 1960s.
- Glass teletypes, like the Datapoint 3300, displayed characters on a screen.
- Terminals received ASCII code over a serial data connection, not video signals.
- Some terminals, like the ADM-3A, used TTL logic chips without microprocessors.
- Dumb terminals stored data internally and required a connection to a computer for display.
12:34
Evolution of computer terminals and emulators
- The computer board has a primitive dumb terminal integrated into it, with the bottom half functioning as the computer and the top half as the terminal. Most terminals at the time were limited to monochrome text, lacking cursor repositioning or screen clearing capabilities, primarily used for business purposes. Some rare terminals could display color text and graphics but were too slow for gaming. Terminal emulators, software mimicking terminals, were used to access bulletin board systems, with modern Windows, Mac, and Linux systems still featuring a program called terminal, providing a window into the operating system.
