mozdev.org

This project has been created in order to add a full-featured terminal emulation / telnet client to the Mozilla project. The initial impetus for the project came from me (Phillip Rhodes) discovering bug #94344 in the Bugzilla database. At the time I was looking for a way to get started contributing to Mozilla, and it scratches the proverbial itch, as I've always been interested in network programming. So, after asking around a bit, and not finding any work being done in this area currently, I decided to give it a try.

When I first discovered bug #94344, and decided it might be fun to work on, I waffled a bit, on whether we were looking at a telnet client which would be an actual part of Mozilla, or a standalone app which would be built using some of the technologies created by the Mozilla group, XPCOM, XPFE, NSPR, etc. After some (brief) discussion on the netlib newsgroup, I concluded that what we were after is, indeed, something that could be considered as part of Mozilla, in much the same way as Chatzilla or Mail/News is a part of Mozilla.

My goals ( which are the goals of the project by default at the moment, as I'm the sole developer ) are to create a full-featured, cross-platform telnet / terminal emulation client for Mozilla, which will include at least the following features (eventually... don't hold your breathe ):

• Full support for standard telnet, and common terminals such as VT101/VT102/VT220, etc.
• Support for secure login using SSH.
• Support for additional protocols, related to basic telnet, such as TN3270, TN5250, etc.
• Support for as many different types of terminals as possible, that can use telnet/ip connections.
• Support for client scripting, including a built-in API which can be used for programatically accessing data stored on a host ( aka, "screen scraping" ).
• other features that I probably haven't even thought of yet.

This project is just getting started. I discovered bug #94344 sometime around 2001.11.10. Currently this project is in no way, shape or from officially endorsed or associated with the main Mozilla project. I would like to eventually reach a point with this project, that it can be presented to the Mozilla group, and have it accepted as the "official" Mozilla telnet client. Much work is going to have to be done first, before this goal can be achieved.

There is currently related work being done, at the MudZilla, and XMLTerm projects. I do not believe this project competes with either of those as it is my belief that both of these projects differ from this one, in scope and/or expected goals. However, it is also my belief that all three projects share some common elements, and it is my hope that I can work with the developers of both MudZilla and XMLTerm, in a cooperative manner, which will benefit all three projects.

Anyone who wishes to actively contribute to this project, will be welcomed. Since (essentially) no code has been written yet, there isn't much call for testers, or people to do documentation, yet. Right now the primary need is hardcore coders, who know C++, XUL, Javascript, etc. Experience level does not really matter, either. I'm a professional programmer by trade, but have only been so for about two years, and am brand new to most of the Mozilla technologies. So, I'll be learning as I go, and am not arrogant about working with anyone, or any skill level.

If you wish to contribute, or discuss this project with me, please contact me via:
E-mail: phil_mozilla@lycos.com
ICQ: 17109168 / Crippler
AIM: psykocrime
IRC: I occasionally hang out on moznet, in the #mozilla channel. My nick will usually be "mindcrime"