computer science

Virtual terminal

Virtual terminal is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Virtual terminal rather than just read about it. In short: In open systems, a virtual terminal (VT) is an application service that: Allows host terminals on a multi-user network to interact with other hosts regardless of terminal type and characteristics, Allows remote log-on by local area network managers for the purpose of management, Allows users to access information from another host processor for transaction processing, Serves as a backup facility. PuTTY is an example…

Key takeaways

Virtual terminal belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Virtual terminal to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Virtual terminal from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In open systems, a virtual terminal (VT) is an application service that:

Allows host terminals on a multi-user network to interact with other hosts regardless of terminal type and characteristics, Allows remote log-on by local area network managers for the purpose of management, Allows users to access information from another host processor for transaction processing, Serves as a backup facility. PuTTY is an example of a virtual terminal. ITU-T defines a virtual terminal protocol based on the OSI application layer protocols. However, the virtual terminal protocol is not widely used on the Internet.

ISO Standards Virtual terminal services are defined under ISO 9040 and virtual terminal protocols are defined under ISO 9041.

See also Pseudo terminal for the software interface that provides access to virtual terminals Secure Shell Telnet Terminal emulator for an application program that provides access to virtual terminals Virtual console for an analogous concept that provides several local consoles

Sources This article incorporates public domain material from Federal Standard 1037C. General Services Administration. Archived from the original on 2022-01-22.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Virtual terminal

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Virtual terminal claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Virtual terminal before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Virtual terminal ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Virtual terminal

In research: Virtual terminal appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Virtual terminal in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Virtual terminal is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer terminals, ITU-T recommendations, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Virtual terminal outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Virtual terminal in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Virtual terminal means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Virtual terminal out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Virtual terminal in simple terms?

In open systems, a virtual terminal (VT) is an application service that: Allows host terminals on a multi-user network to interact with other hosts regardless of terminal type and characteristics, Allows remote log-on by local area network managers for the purpose of management, Allows users to acc…

Why does Virtual terminal matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Virtual terminal?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Virtual terminal.