Suggested Telnet Protocol Changes

　　Network Working Group Jon Postel

　　Request for Comments: 328 Computer Science

　　UCLA-NMC

　　NIC 9635 29 April 72

　　Categories: Telnet

　　References: RFC328

　　Suggested Telnet Protocol Changes

　　I hereby propose the following changes to the Telnet protocol. If　no substantial negative response is received by 15 May 72 it will be　assumed that these changes are desired and should be incorporated in　any "Official Telnet Protocol".

　　First I suggest that we drop the idea of a "minimum"　implementation and require a standard implementation which includes all　aspects of the protocol.

　　Second I suggest that we eliminate the DATA TYPE signals.

　　Third I suggest that we do away with HIDE YOUR INPUT signal.

　　Arguments:

　　Standard Implementation:

　　The idea of an accepted implementation which does not include　whole protocol is an admission that the parts of the　protocol left out are either not useful or not expected to be　used, and that other mechanisms will be constructed to provide　those functions. Thus there should be no minimum　implementation, but only the standard implementation which　includes the whole protocol.

　　Data Types:

　　The DATA TYPE signals are supposed to allow the communicating　processes to switch from ASCII to some other code set. However,　the other code sets suggested do not allow for the Telnet　signals, and thus once the switch is made the Telnet　protocol is no longer applicable. There is no way to specify　how to get back to ASCII or Telnet thus the　conversation is "out of control".

　　[Page 1]

　　Hide Your Input:

　　The HIDE YOUR INPUT signal is supposed to tell the user Telnet　process to do whatever it can to hide the user's　subsequent input. One problem with this is determining　how much input is to be hidden. It is very difficult to find a　method of hiding input which works for all combinations of　systems and terminals, but the HIDE YOUR INPUT signal dosen't　help in any real way.

　　[ This RFCwas put into machine readable form for entry ]

　　[ into the online RFCarchives by BBN Corp. under the ]

　　[ direction of Alex McKenzie. 12/96 ]