Network Working Group                                 Jon Postel
Request for Comments: 328                             Computer Science
                                                      UCLA-NMC
NIC 9635                                              29 April 72
Categories: Telnet
References: RFC 328

                   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         protocol is no longer applicable.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".

    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 RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
       [ into the online RFC archives by BBN Corp. under the   ]
       [ direction of Alex McKenzie.                   12/96   ]