Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1+some 2/3/84; site dual.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!we13!ihnp4!dual!mats From: mats@dual.UUCP (Mats Wichmann) Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: Terminal paging in the kernel Message-ID: <372@dual.UUCP> Date: Tue, 20-Mar-84 11:18:08 EST Article-I.D.: dual.372 Posted: Tue Mar 20 11:18:08 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 21-Mar-84 02:44:27 EST References: <6841@cca.UUCP> <690@ihuxx.UUCP> <216@masscomp.UUCP> <334@dual.UUCP> <1417@mit-eddie.UUCP> Organization: Dual Systems, Berkeley, CA Lines: 37 I have learned something from this discussion. Number one is to try harder to keep my foot out of my mouth. I had not really meant to comment on the topic at hand, only to respond to the comment about the disk partitions and sizes being wired into the driver. I am now in the process of pulling together a summary of what I have seen on this topic, this will be more carefully thought out than my previous submission. Expect posting in a few days (hold breath in eager anticipation....and it won't all be anti-paging). I do have to respond to the flames I have gotten, however, because I feel badly scorched. I worried about informing the pager about the characteristics of the terminal. I got flames to the effect of `EVER HEARD OF TERMCAP?'. Okay, I have heard of termcap. I even use it. The pager is informed through an ioctl how many lines/characters the screen will hold. Now - how is this ioctl performed? First you have to find out what the terminal type is... this problem has not really been solved. Notice that Berkeley used to use ttytype (is this still the case for 4.2). Have you noticed Bell releases with this feature in them? All UniSoft System III/V releases are also missing this handy little feature...(although I quickly put it in for our system). What about dialups - TSET options handle specifying the teriminal type on login to a dialup, but not everybody supports tset either. A pager such as more knows when output is directed to a terminal and when it isn't, and behaves appropriately. Have you built the same knowledge into the kernel? I presume you have, since otherwise you would have had lots of complaints - or is every program responsible for sending out the ioctl to stop paging (which would be a real mess). I am not arguing against the idea of kernel paging here - just showing my ignorance and asking a few questions that still bother me. Answers anyone (WITHOUT the flames, this time). Mats Wichmann Dual Systems Corp. ...{ucbvax,amd70,ihnp4,cbosgd,decwrl,fortune}!dual!mats It now became apparent (despite the lack of library paste) that something had happened to the vicar; [ Edward Gorey ]