- This routine should not be used extensively because padding characters
- are used rather than a CPU pause. If no padding character is
- specified, this uses <STRONG>napms</STRONG> to perform the delay.
+ Employ this function judiciously when terminal output uses padding,
+ because <EM>ncurses</EM> transmits null characters (consuming CPU and I/O
+ resources) instead of sleeping and requesting resumption from the
+ operating system. Padding is used unless:
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> the terminal description has <STRONG>npc</STRONG> (<STRONG>no_pad_char</STRONG>) capability, or
+
+ <STRONG>o</STRONG> the environment variable <STRONG>NCURSES_NO_PADDING</STRONG> is set.
+
+ If padding is not in use, <EM>ncurses</EM> uses <STRONG>napms</STRONG> to perform the delay. If
+ the value of <EM>ms</EM> exceeds 30,000 (thirty seconds), it is capped at that
+ value.