If you use OS X, and manage multiple machines over SSH, you’ve probably come across and used screen.

You may have noticed that if you SSH to a Linux host from Mac OS X, and try to use the backspace or tab key within a screen session, that you get the “Wuff —- Wuff!!” prompt at the bottom.

Thankfully, the resolution to this problem is easy.

On the remote machine, if you open your ~/.bash_profile file in a text editor (.bash_profile in your home directory), you need to add the following line:

alias screen='TERM=screen screen'

Add that, save the file and you’re done!  You’ll need to re-run bash or just log out and log back in, but when you do, the next screen session you open, you’ll find that the backspace/tab key works again as expected!


Other posts which may be of interest..