Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!akgua!mcnc!ncsu!uvacs!iedl02!ebk From: ebk@iedl02.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: Disgusting kernel hack Message-ID: <1695@iedl02.UUCP> Date: Wed, 29-Feb-84 22:47:54 EST Article-I.D.: iedl02.1695 Posted: Wed Feb 29 22:47:54 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 2-Mar-84 23:31:15 EST Lines: 28 References: root44.4353 > But I don't always want to have to type Return all the time, and > I also think that the kernel recognising \b as a special character is > a disgusting hack. If we are supposed to use |more rather than leaving > the 60's idea of a teletype driver(!!!!!) then why not also have some > PROGRAM which recognises ^H,^C,^Z,^S,^Q etc. Because then the kernel would have to switch contexts every time anyone hit a character. (Unless you want to have a PROGRAM to switch contexts!) Although I totally agree philosophically with the people who object to putting something not necessary in the kernel, I think one function that it is in the nature of the kernel to provide is the i/o interface. I like Berkeley's ntty driver, with ^W, etc. The original source for ^W and ^O was TOPS-10, the DEC-10 OS. TOPS-10 also had a setting 'SET TTY PAGE nn', and whenever nn lines were sent to the terminal *without a keypress during that time*, it would stop, and wait for a key to resume. (It might wait only for ^Q, I don't remember.) So why not 'stty page 24' to turn it on, 'stty -page' to turn it off, and if you don't want it, you never see it. Less than a page of code in the driver, a few lines in stty, and you have a simple, clean, UNIX-LIKE pager. (I don't think more is very Unix-like at all!) John Owens ...!duke!mcnc!ncsu!uvacs!icase!oducs1!owens_j