Using the MINIX terminal emulation mode seems to eliminate the problem of 
lines piling up at the bottom of the screen without scrolling.  This mode 
does overwrite the status line, but it comes back if you press ^A to go to
command mode.

Now, a related question -- how in the world do you download files under
Minicom?
I've gotten the rzsz package and compiled it, told Minicom where to find
the
executables, and set the RZSZLINE environment variable, but when I start
a 
download from the remote machine, then escape and run rb from inside
Minicom,
the two machines don't seem ever to talk to each other.  I wind up
^X'ing 
until rb dies and I can kill sb on the remote.  I'd appreciate it if
some kind
soul could mail me an explanation of how to do this, so I can get away
from the
Kermit nightmare.

Thanks,

Bryson Lee
blee@tim.dfrf.nasa.gov