[konsole] [Bug 435975] Implement fixterms

[bugzilla_noreply at kde.org]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=435975

--- Comment #4 from unxed at mail.ru ---
I feel it's important to explain why the kitty keyboard protocol is truly
essential.

I'm one of the developers of far2l—a port of the Far Manager file manager to
Linux.  Since this program was originally developed for the Windows console, it
heavily utilizes its advantages, particularly the ability to use any key
combinations.

When migrating from Windows to Linux, users look for a familiar UX; they need
their favorite applications, not a new operating system.  If we tell them
"learn 100 new keyboard shortcuts," they're more likely to stay on Windows than
listen to us.

Is it really acceptable that *nix console capabilities in the 21st century are
still inferior to those of the ancient Windows 2000 console? This situation
needs improvement.

In the far2l project, we came up with a hack that solves the problem under X11:
we simply connect to X11 and listen to all keyboard input. This allows us to
"refine" the key press information coming into the terminal, "deciphering" what
the user actually pressed. A terrible, horribly dirty hack (but it works!)—but
better than depriving the user of familiar functionality.

However, with the widespread transition to Wayland, this hack stops working. 
What do you think users will do, give up their familiar keyboard shortcuts—or
stay on X11?

This is precisely why we need the ability to use any keyboard shortcut in
console applications. Not the day after tomorrow, not tomorrow. We needed it
yesterday.

Of all the available solutions (far2l terminal extensions, iTerm2 raw keyboard
protocol, win32-input-mode, and kitty keyboard protocol), the kitty protocol is
the most suitable for UNIX-like operating systems. It's designed with backward
compatibility in mind, and adapting terminals to support it is straightforward.
Look at this code example. This is a reference implementation of basic kitty
protocol support that I made as an example for Windows Terminal developers. 
It's only 196 lines of code:
https://gist.github.com/unxed/d979fe069039fe075c18eb0218b1f8f5

I hope you will consider these arguments, and together we can bring the console
capabilities of UNIX-like operating systems up to par with what the Windows
2000 console offered 24 years ago. I'll be happy to answer any questions if
anyone takes this on.  Thank you in advance!

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