Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site kobold.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!eagle!mit-vax!grkermit!masscomp!kobold!tjt
From: tjt@kobold.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re: Disgusting kernel hack
Message-ID: <266@kobold.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 1-Feb-84 10:49:22 EST
Article-I.D.: kobold.266
Posted: Wed Feb  1 10:49:22 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 8-Feb-84 02:27:50 EST
References: <15951@sri-arpa.UUCP> <3810@genrad.UUCP> <377@rayssd.UUCP>
Organization: Masscomp, Westford, MA
Lines: 17

The problem with using a terminal-based pager (e.g. "hold-screen mode"
on VT52's and lookalikes) is that it halts every 24 lines, need it or
not.  A typical pager built into the system will only pause if there has
been a screenful of output since the last input wait.  This accomodates
Dennis Ritchie's interactive mode (the user types a line or two, the
computer types a line or two, the user types another line ...) without
forcing a pause every 24 lines.

Someone proposed a terminal "hold-screen mode" that is reset whenever
the user types a key.  This is *not* the same since I don't want
typeahead to thaw my page mode, and only the OS knows when I'm in input
wait.  Indeed, some care should be taken in a kernel pager to leave
typeahead undisturbed (at least for the simple case of pausing and
continueing -- aborting the output should probably flush the typeahead).
-- 
	Tom Teixeira,  Massachusetts Computer Corporation.  Westford MA
	...!{ihnp4,harpo,decvax}!masscomp!tjt   (617) 692-6200 x275