Running 'emacs -nw' in screen and typing stuff and then using backspace acts as though I've pressed control-H. vi is fine. This only seems to happen with TERM=xterm.
It also happens with TERM=linux, on the console. But with TERM=ansi, it doesn't happen.
There are some nasty, nasty issues with screen's translation, and its occasional refusal to do so. However, that said, screen thinks that backspace == ^H, and it will try to translate to get to this point. It is in the man pages. This is not something that I can fix, as it is (somewhat) documented behaviour. closing.
the backspace -> ^H translation is in the man page, and also int the screen termcap entry, but NOT in the actual screen code ! Recently ( a recent redhat screen package ) a line was added in /etc/screenrc to fix this. ( the line is : bindkey -k kb stuff ^H )
see also bug #11294 for more info