Do not attempt to set term title in non-xterm workalikes (at least

linux character console malfunctions).

IPython/platutils_posix.py

@@ -1,26 +1,40 b''
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """ Platform specific utility functions, posix version 
 
 Importing this module directly is not portable - rather, import platutils 
 to use these functions in platform agnostic fashion.
 
 $Id: ipstruct.py 1005 2006-01-12 08:39:26Z fperez $
 
 """
 
 
 #*****************************************************************************
 #       Copyright (C) 2001-2006 Fernando Perez <[e-mail]>
 #
 #  Distributed under the terms of the BSD License.  The full license is in
 #  the file COPYING, distributed as part of this software.
 #*****************************************************************************
 
 from IPython import Release
 __author__  = '%s <%s>' % Release.authors['Ville']
 __license__ = Release.license
 
 import sys
+import os
 
-def set_term_title(title):
+
+def _dummy_op(*a, **b):
+    """ A no-op function """
+
+def _set_term_title_xterm(title):
+    """ Change virtual terminal title in xterm-workalikes """
     sys.stdout.write('\033]%d;%s\007' % (0,title))
+
+
+if os.environ.get('TERM','') == 'xterm':
+    set_term_title = _set_term_title_xterm
+else:
+    set_term_title = _dummy_op
+
+