MS-DOS type-ahead buffer limit?

From: SUPRDAVE_at_aol.com <(SUPRDAVE_at_aol.com)>
Date: Wed Oct 21 12:24:04 1998

apple ][ users know that there is no type-ahead during disk access. I have a
][+ with an enhanced keyboard encoder board that gave it 255 character type-
ahead at all times. it was cool to keep typing in program code while saving
the file. only problem was playing games where you didnt want the game to keep
reading repeated keypresses. thankfully, the type-ahead can be disabled by
pressing the space bar when powering up.

In a message dated 98-10-21 13:15:23 EDT, you write:

<< Re:
> > Does anyone know why MS decided to limit the type-ahead buffer in
 MS-DOS
> > to 16 characters? Also, why they never increased this over time?
 
 Lack of foresight? Lack of vision?
 
> Basicly it's BIOS not DOS, And as the machines got faster,
> the need for the type ahead decreased.
 
 Boy, is *that* wrong! :)
 
 I *still* run into the typeahead limits today, on the fastest
 machines around. 16 characters is probably fine when you're
 doing ordinary text entry, with no special machine tasks
 being requested. It *isn't* fine when you do something like:
 
    deltree foo
    <typeahead 17 or more characters while the computer is working>
 
> Just add one of the many vintage type ahead buffer enhancer.
> They have been yery popular, once upon a time...
 
 I'd still be running the one I used to use ... but it
 stopped working as of Windows 3.1 :)
>>
Received on Wed Oct 21 1998 - 12:24:04 BST