(*** This bug was imported into bugs.kde.org ***) Package: konsole Version: KDE 3.0.0 Severity: wishlist Installed from: RedHat RPMs Compiler: Not Specified OS: Linux OS/Compiler notes: Not Specified First I'd like to mention that this request is connected to bug reports 38803 43495 13202 but these requests didn't go far enough. I may be treading water here but how about this idea: Konsole the KDE terminal is quite convenient to use. However I think its functionality and usefullness can be greatly improved by making it a single all-purpose terminal tool adding the following abilities to it: 1. A telnet/SSH/rlogin session that can be added through the "Session" menu item. This should probably invoke a dialog (currently unavailable) for defining host/port/username/password and then start the proper sub-process. 2. For an even more generic commuication terminal how about integrating serial terminal functions (like Minicom) into Konsole? Furthermore such functions can be enhanced to include PLIP (for parallel cables) and USB. 3. A p-t-p "chat" mode and symmetric file transfer may also be in order when in the proper mode (such as cable connection). 4. A session manager should be added containing information about target-specific sessions. This manager could also appear as a "shortcut side bar". 5. Each new session should have an option to start in a separate window. Such modifications can turn Konsole into the most useful and powerful terminal ever - connect to any machine through any possible medium. Still it would not require new protocols to be developed since it's all been around for some time now - 99% of the work would be GUI. An an implementation idea I suggest using the concept of low-level per-medium server objects with a unified interface to be used by Konsole (I think the KDE people call these objects "slaves"). Each "slave" will also have an interface for setup to be integrated both into the general Konsole setup (e.g. protocol options for telnet/SSH/... or device options for serial/parallel/..) and into the new session of type .. dialog. A conceptual session menu: 1. New Local Session (matches the existing Konsole Sessions menu) 1.1 Shell 1.2 Linux Console 1.3 Midnight commander 1.4 ... 2. New Network Session 2.1 Telnet 2.2 SSH 2.3 Rlogin 3. New Cable Connection Session 3.1 By Serial Cable 3.2 By Parallel Cable 3.3 By USB Cable An alternative implementation would be to keep the existing design but add a premade package of scripts that would accomplish the same goals - a script to create a dialog for the user to specify activation parameters and then activate telnet Minicom etc. However I think the Konsole setup should still be modified and the first implementation suggestion looks more robust and extensible. Sincerely Erez Hadad (Submitted via bugs.kde.org)
Created attachment 730 [details] Patch against KDE 3.1.0 to fix this.
Comment on attachment 730 [details] Patch against KDE 3.1.0 to fix this. Damn Bugzilla, this patch is for #47643.
Interesting ideas. My personal view is that they would overload the Konsole interface - which at the moment provides a good range of useful functionality without being visually cluttered. I think this would be best discussed on the Konsole mailing list if the ideas are still relevant.