(Comp.sys.hp48)
Item: 70 by ftg0673 at tamsun.TAMU.EDU
Author: [Rick Grevelle]
  Subj: FALSECLR was: Clear Memory! (*NOT*!)
  Date: Sun Oct 27 1991

For several days I've been monitoring the arguments regarding this subject.
It seems that there are no winners in so much as all parties involved have
set forth valid points.

One detail which seems to have been neglected is the caliber of the routine
itself.  Anyone who has actually taken time to download and run the program
that was originally posted would quickly discover its incredulity. Not only
does it ineffectually simulate a real memory reset, but because it's a user
language program there is no chance for ever disabling interrupts.  Clearly
an exam proctor who knows absolutely nothing about the 48 except for ON-A-F
has all the knowledge necessary to derail any user language program written
to falsify the clearing of memory.  Except for a pedagogical experience, it
is simply programming time wasted for a routine such as this could never be
used productively, or more inappropriately, deceitfully.

Whether or not the moral issues associated with the argument regarding this
whole idea of falsifying the clearing of the 48's memory is ever decided is
irrelevant.  At one time or another most everyone has probably cheated on a
test, and in doing so learned that it is not a particularly good method for
getting an education.  As a matter of fact it's highly unlikely that anyone
has ever cheated their way through a five year engineering curriculum.  The
credentialing process at institutions of higher education is such that it's
hard to imagine any individual obtaining a degree of any kind who regularly   

engages in cheating.  My personal observation regarding individuals such as
this are that they rarely last more than two years if even that long.

Diatribe aside, the following is a more plausible scheme for falsifying the
48's memory reset sequence which has been appropriately named FALSECLR.

Rick Grevelle
ftg0673@tamsun.tamu.edu
(409) 774-1169



                    FALSECLR

===========================================================================

 
  Once invoked, FALSECLR harmlessly runs until it detects the ON-A-F keys
  keys are being simultaneously held down (all other keys are ignored).

  After FALSECLR detects the ON-A-F keys are simultaneously held down the
  routines proceeds in such a manner that will lead one to believe that a
  memory reset (ON-A-F) has been invoked when it actually has not.

  Aside from a very subtle detail, every attribute associated with a real
  memory reset has been exactly reproduced such that it is impossible for
  one to tell the difference.

  Please note that once FALSECLR has run to completion it's no longer safe
  to simultaneously hold down the ON-A-F keys as this will invoke the real
  reset, and the screen prompting you to "Try To Recover Memory?" won't be
  kidding.

  Each time it's desired to produce the illusion, FALSECLR must be invoked
  before simultaneously holding down the ON-A-F keys.