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From: bjorn@alberta.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Problem with Atari o.s. terminal handling
Message-ID: <276@pembina.alberta.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 29-Mar-87 00:39:21 EST
Article-I.D.: pembina.276
Posted: Sun Mar 29 00:39:21 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Mar-87 18:42:04 EST
References: <8830@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Organization: U. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Lines: 46

In article <8830@decwrl.DEC.COM>, minow@thundr.dec.com (Martin Minow THUNDR::MINOW ML3-5/U26 223-9922) writes:
> /*
>  * This program illustrates what appears to be a bug deep in the
>  * bowels of the Atari operating system.  The program initializes
>  * the desktop, then starts one of two terminal emulators, which
>  * have identical logic, but use different operating system functions.
>  * To elicit the problem, execute the program, connect to a host,
>  * and cause the host to send text (at 2400 Baud).  Then, type something
>  * (I use <CTRL/C>) while output is being transmitted.  The program
>  * will crash in various ways.  You will probably have to reset the
>  * computer.

I can verify that this is indeed the case.  I use a stripped down
emulator for logging into a 4.2BSD system.  Sometimes I check my
mail before switching to the Atari vt52+ emulator.  And my emulator
sometimes crashes if I hit ^C when the list of messages is being
output.  Contrary to Martin's experience, I never have to reset
the machine, and again contrary to what Martin says in the rest
of message flow control does not matter as I have it turned off
ALWAYS.  I use Bios (as opposed to GEM) calls.

Some other comments:

1) I like the Atari emulator, but it lacks break capability.
   I and probably other people with 2400 baud modems, need
   that feature to kick `getty's ass (No I don't mean Don
   Getty nor John Paul Getty) so it will switch the line
   speed on the multiplexer.

2) I like Uniterm even better (as a terminal emulator that is),
   but never use it anymore who needs 100k-200k cluttering up
   their ramdisk all the time, and all because of:

   a) Graphics terminal (Tektronix emulation), who uses it
      anyway.  Besides it's a bloody nuisance if something
      goes wrong with the line, you invariably get kicked
      into graphics mode and need multi-mouse-clicking...nausea.

   b) Built-in kermit and/or ?modem.  Come on, this is not a
      feature, it's a bug unless you happen to have a hard disk.
      GEM-Kermit is quite adequate.  How often do you log into
      a remote system versus the number of times you do file
      transfers?

Judge Subtlety's Lemma:			Bjorn R. Bjornsson
"A continuum awaits the dedekinded"	alberta!bjorn