Only if the child prints less than a pipe's buffer's worth

That (conservatively), probably covers 85% of the uses of such code. Are you telling me that you don't see a relatively simple modification to cater for the rest?

I mean without resorting to forks & execs and no-blocks and selects and events&globals, state-driven spaghetti code?

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
RIP an inspiration; A true Folk's Guy

In reply to Re^5: fork - alarm - output by BrowserUk
in thread fork - alarm - output by chart3399

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