    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             protocol is no longer applicable.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".

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        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   ]

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