On Sun, 14 Sep 1997, Paul Whiting wrote:

> In message <E0xAIUk-0004FM-00@taurus.cus.cam.ac.uk>
> Patrick Welche <prlw1@cam.ac.uk> wrote:
> 
> >Paul Whiting wrote:
> >> 
> >> A small but annoying problem is that I can't delete things that I
> >> mistype. Often the 'Delete' key does not work, displaying '^?'. 
> >> Typing 'stty erase ^h' does not help at these times. The problem is
> >> however intermittent - and seems not to affect me so much if I log 
> >> on as 'root'.
> >
> > Instead of ^h, try actually pressing the delete key. (As from your
> > description ^? rather than ^h would be more suitable). so
> > stty erase <delete key>
> 
> I tried that originally, and it failed. There is _no_way_ to delete
> things when I am not 'root' as far as I can see.

The default terminal settings are not quite what the ought to be.
Try the command 'stty echoe' This should prevent the delete key from
printing ^? and actually make it delete the character. If you want the
backspace key to delete instead of the delete key use the command 
'stty erase ^H'

Mike