Type-ahead in unix

[Ashley Aitken]

Talking about the DM:

>From article <+G-_A&=@warwick.ac.uk>, by cudcv at warwick.ac.uk (Rob McMahon):
> I've used it. I *hated* it.  You keep having to scan up and down between the
> commands you're typing and their results.  

Only initially when the output pad is empty, eventually the output is just 
above the input pad.

On the other hand, using DM you always know where you input line is, you never
need to scan up and down a window, its always at the bottom in the input pad.

> That and the abysmal reaction when
> you enter and leave a cbreak/curses application like an editor, or less: 

True, the cbreak/curses application startup has a slight pause. However, it was
my understanding that Apollo expected you to use their editor, and that the DM
was optimized for this. In fact, I think starting a DM editor session is faster
than starting vi or emacs in an xterm.

> When
> I leave less, I want the last thing I've been looking at to still be on the
> screen, thanks.

But you've got it completely wrong. DM does away completely with the need for
a tool such as less (or more). If you want to scroll through (forwards, and 
backwards, with searching etc) a file you can just cat it (with the DM Hold
function on). Even better just pop it up on the screen in another window (DM
is optimized for that, remember) and scroll through it (there are even some
keys especially for that!).

> Yeuch.

Take a closer look, and work with it for a while. It's rather tasty in fact.
(Of course there is room for improvement ...)

The DM is a *real* different alternative to multiple terminal sessions and it
deserves a lot more consideration and attention than it gets. 

Chow now brown cow,
Ashley Aitken.

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