def read_remote(self):
        '''Send a message back to the server (in contrast to
        the local user output channel).'''
        coded_line = self.inout.read_msg()
        if isinstance(coded_line, bytes):
            coded_line = coded_line.decode("utf-8")
        control = coded_line[0]
        remote_line = coded_line[1:]
        return (control, remote_line)