Cross platform, open source, console GUI

What would be the best, most portable, simplest way to create a GUI-like feeling in the command line?

Basically I'm asking for a library that allows you to change background and text colors, have a text input area on the bottom of the console, and be able to edit a certain area in the command line without having to clear the w开发者_JAVA技巧hole screen. Does such a library exist?

Example from IRSSI

Thank you.

You could use ncurses

ncurses?

Here is a HowTo: http://tldp.org/HOWTO/NCURSES-Programming-HOWTO/index.html

ncurses ?

Though if you need MS Windows support, you may find limitations.

PDCurses or ncurses (if you care only about *nixes). irssi uses the latter.

NCurses always clears the whole screen. Is there any alternative which only changes the colors but not mess with the current console content?