LYNX-DEV off topic -- really need help

[C.J.LAWSON]

hello everyone,
        I really shouldn't be posting this here but, I am really at my
teether's end and do not know where else to turn to, please bear with me. 
        I have written some code to control a device using the serial port
of a 486-sx33 running Linux. The code uses select to determine if there is
input from the data-logger and if so performs a read operation on the port
(Unix i/o). 
        Every once in a while I return to the machine to see an "input
overrun"  error, with a program crash. The thing is that it doesn't take
place until the program has issued several thousands (if not tens of
thousands) write and read calls to the port. Messing up an entire
session of experiments (and delaying my already work). Does anyone know of
what is causing this and what can be done to remedy the situation.

        Thanks in advance 

                Jonathan