Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!unsvax!uns-helios!alfter
From: alfter@uns-helios.nevada.edu (SCOTT ALFTER)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: kermit on the GS
Keywords: kermit GS bell
Message-ID: <2177@unsvax.NEVADA.EDU>
Date: 18 Oct 90 21:50:54 GMT
References: <50348@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Sender: news@unsvax.NEVADA.EDU
Reply-To: alfter@uns-helios.uucp (SCOTT ALFTER)
Organization: Univ of Nevada System Computing Services - Las Vegas
Lines: 16

My guess (as someone who doesn't have a GS, but who has been working on a
terminal program) is that the GS bell kills interrupts.  Kermit relies on
interrupts to tell it when a character has arrived from the remote system.  If
the firmware shuts off interrupts, any characters that arrive will be lost.

The IIe bell, on the other hand, doesn't turn off interrupts.  You will notice,
though, that the bell sounds a bit different if a bunch of characters keep 
coming in after the bell--the pitch is lowered, and the bell may sound
scratchy.  This is the result of the terminal program's interrupt daemon
kicking in while the bell is dinging.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scott Alfter                             _/_
                                        / v \ Apple II:
Internet: alfter@uns-helios.nevada.edu (    ( the power to be your best!
   GEnie: S.ALFTER                      \_^_/