Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!nuchat!steve
From: steve@nuchat.UUCP (Steve Nuchia)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: paging in the terminal driver
Message-ID: <421@nuchat.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Oct-87 21:28:15 EST
Article-I.D.: nuchat.421
Posted: Mon Oct 26 21:28:15 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Oct-87 07:10:58 EST
References: <573@elxsi.UUCP> <682@its63b.ed.ac.uk> <796@quacky.UUCP>
Organization: Public Access - Houston, Tx
Lines: 32
Keywords: output pagination
Summary: in my opinion it isn't a good idea

In article <796@quacky.UUCP>, sjc@mips.UUCP (Steve "The" Correll) writes:
> In article adam@its63b.ed.ac.uk (ERCF02 Adam Hamilton) writes:
>> Several years ago when I first met UNIX, the UKUUG distribution had a
>> terminal driver which did the paging function. (I.e. no more than a
>> screenful of output without some terminal input, like a space).

> I too had the privilege once of working on a system (thanks to jdb at
> s1.mordor.gov) which provided an ioctl call to enable paging and specify the
> screen size. Despite  all of the aesthetic arguments against putting this into
> the kernel, in practice it was just plain pleasant to use.

The default configuration of OS/9 for serial terminals pauses.  It
is a royal pain in the %^&((*&, especially since OS/9 commands tend to
be of the old fashioned verbose "announce every move" kind.

There is no describing the feeling of coming back from a meeting
or extended coffee expedition to find that the compile you fired
off half an hour ago only got through the first screenful of
compiler version number announcements.  GRRRR!

Of course one develops ways of coping with this, just as one
develops a Ctl-S reflex on some systems.  The guys I worked
with who spent more time on OS/9 would always follow a command
like a compile with "several" returns, for instance.  I just
think that it is overall not an unalloyed win to have the
driver do the pausing.


-- 
Steve Nuchia	    | [...] but the machine would probably be allowed no mercy.
uunet!nuchat!steve  | In other words then, if a machine is expected to be
(713) 334 6720	    | infallible, it cannot be intelligent.  - Alan Turing, 1947