Is there any way to obtain a hardware text terminal (preferably small in size) with a screen and a keypad to connect to a Linux machine (preferably via USB)? I'd like to be able to log into a command-line and do some work there while simultaneously running a graphical environment on the main display. It seems like there should be some kind of LCD screen and qwerty keypad device designed for this purpose. Does this exist, and how do I get one?
Edit: I'd be happy with a small networked device as well, as long as I could get a remote terminal into my computer.
Best Answer
USB usually isn't used for the classic "dumb terminal" paradigm, although as Chris mentioned in his answer you could get a USB-serial adapter. The traditional terminal is old, CRT-based and large, and you want small.
Since your'e looking for small, try the Nokia N810 net tablet. My friend has discovered that he can use VNC with it to control his PC, you could just as easily use ssh or telnet to connect to your main PC. He's a DJ, and has a PC-controllable Yamaha mixer, and so will use the N810 to control his PC, which then controls his mixer... as your application would be far simpler, I would think it would be very doable. The N810 runs a modified version of Debian Linux, so you should be able to get a ssh client to run in its' terminal window (according to one forum post I found, it comes with a ssh client). Plus, you can do this wirelessly, which cuts down on the cordage. The cheaper Nokia N800 would also do this too.
Either that, or get a netbook, overwrite the OS with a Linux distribution that lets you use the commandline, and do the same thing.