history

ncurses-5.4

Current history:

2003/10/18	1.01	Fix some logic in pad.c, improve bce test.
2003/09/20		Modified to allow running from compiled-in terminfo.
2001/10/20		Make menu titles agree with descriptions.
2000/03/04		Fix a few spelling errors
1999/09/04		Minor fix to build/link on BeOS
1999/05/16		Minor fix to build/link on CLIX
1999/05/09		Update to build/link on NeXT
1999/04/17		Update to work with ncurses 5.0 beta1 (TERMTYPE struct)
1999/02/07		Build with ncurses 4.2 981219 (renamed function)
1998/01/09	1.00	First release under GPL
1997/12/24	0.02	First version that requires ncurses
1997/10/29	0.01	Second beta release to the ncurses mailing list.
1997/10/06	0.00	First beta release to the ncurses mailing list.

Ancient history:	TACK -- the terminfo action checker

   The purpose of this program is to verify the correctness of
terminfos and to calculate the pads needed for each capability.
This program is not designed to test curses and therefore uses
as little of curses as possible.

   This program was originally called TED.  In 1991 it was
released to USENET in comp.sources.  TED was originally written to
test both terminfos and termcaps.  The original intent was to
create a terminfo editor.  This code fell quite short of its goal.
Tests were controlled by command line switches and editing was done
with pen and paper.

   In 1995 Eric S. Raymond got interested in the program and added
a first cut at making the program menu driven.  He also converted
the code from K&R C to an ANSI/POSIX-conforming C.  He re-christened
the program TAC (Terminfo Action Checker).  Eric also wrote a man
page for TAC.

   In 1997 I decided to dust off the code and make it easier to
use by the novice.  I totally rewrote the menu system and added
the editing features I originally planned for TED.  I also did
a total rewrite of the code that does the timings.  In the process
of rewriting the code I changed it to be more tightly coupled
with ncurses.  By this time someone had taken the name TAC so
I re-christened the program TACK.

Daniel Weaver
<[e-mail]>