[net.micro.pc] Softalk Keyboard Buffer

jim%rand-unix@sri-unix.UUCP (11/23/83)

I have the Softalk around here somewhere.  I'd rather not debug the
.ASM code, though.  I went the safer route of typing in their BASIC
program, which has checksums associated with the data.  LOAD this
BASIC program with the normal IBM BASIC, run it, and it produces
KB_FIX.COM.  It has the same restrictions on running as the one
reported earlier.  I have used it with no trouble under both DOS 1.10
and DOS 2.00 under normal operations, but was able to break it by
typing lots of characters really fast (i.e.  by plopping all 10 digits
at a time in several times in a row as fast as I could, knowing that
the keyboard is going to send them all when it gets around to it).  I
was able to put it into a state where I had to power down to reboot.
Again, though, under normal operation it works just fine.

Credit where credit is due: this wonderful hack was written by John
Socha for the Socha's Toolbox column in Softalk for the IBM PC, Nov
83, and we're all grateful.

Jim Gillogly

[KB_FIX.BAS has been added to the Info-IBMPC free program library.  If
anyone's game to fix the BUF160.ASM version, it can also be FTPed from
[ISIB]<INFO-IBMPC>. -Ed.]