Accessing ERIC with Your Microcomputer. This digest focuses on how to use your microcomputer as a terminal. It is possible to make your micro act as a dumb terminal using only a modem and the communications interface in most situations, but for database searching other features are desirable. The need for these special features depends on individual requirements. For example, unless you have some way of storing a search to disk or to a printer, you will not be able to reference the search later.
Software differs for every computer and operating system.
It is important that you experiment with the software on a system like your own or have some kind of return policy before purchasing. Some special features in communications software that should be considered are listed below. These features are desirable for using your microcomputer as a terminal to do database searching. This feature allows the screen display to be printed. Some software will allow it to print simultaneously, while in other cases it is necessary to save to disk and load the disk's contents to the printer later.