spectre@cisunx.UUCP (Robert Sillett) (07/09/88)
Hello netland! I am planning to purchase a multitasking program for my PC clone in the very near future. I have decided to get either DESQview or MS Windows. The problem that I now face is which one to get. The only experience I have with either of these is the old Windows version 1.xx, which was pretty much useless. I understand that 2.xx is supposed to be much better. Presently I am strongly leaning toward DESQview since Quarterdeck claims that it will run on virtually any system, 8088/80286, with 640kB and EMS/EEMS as an option. Presently I have a PC compatible (Tandy 1000 SX) with 640kB and a 30MB hard drive. I know that the processes will be painfully slow, so please don't give me the "get a 286 line" -- I have to manage with my present system. I won't be able to get EEMS until at least Christmas, so I know that I should be able to get 2 processes up -- not much more. To come to the point --> which is the better, DESQview or Windows 2.xx? I'm going to be running the beast under 640kB for a while. The main programs that I'll be running are Opus, Turbo Pascal, and Microsoft FORTRAN. Please e-mail suggestions & I'll save and summerize to the net. Thank you. -- Robert L. Sillett, Jr. spectre@cisunx University of Pittsburgh spectre@pittvms.BITNET "Don't ask me -- I only work here." ...!pitt!cisunx!spectre
davidsen@steinmetz.ge.com (William E. Davidsen Jr) (07/13/88)
In article <10903@cisunx.UUCP> spectre@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Robert Sillett) writes: | I am planning to purchase a multitasking program for my PC clone | in the very near future. I like DESQview better than windows, but you mentioned staying at 640k. If you don't have some expanded memory you probably won't like either, as they both will use quite a bit of memory. I'm told that DoubleDOS will do what you want, and in a smaller package. Could someone comment on this, as the only version I have used was the first release, and buggy as hell. -- bill davidsen (wedu@ge-crd.arpa) {uunet | philabs | seismo}!steinmetz!crdos1!davidsen "Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me
rps@homxc.UUCP (R.SHARPLES) (07/13/88)
In article <10904@cisunx.UUCP>, spectre@cisunx.UUCP (Robert Sillett) writes: > I am planning to purchase a multitasking program for my PC clone > in the very near future. I have decided to get either DESQview or > MS Windows. The problem that I now face is which one to get. ... > To come to the point --> which is the better, DESQview or Windows 2.xx? Get DESQview. Windows 2.0 doesn't multitask non-windows applications very well (hardly at all). Certainly, something like procomm would bomb the window. On a 386 with virtual 86 mode, you can get most programs to work but not all (believe me, I have one and both DESQview and Windows386). DESQview does an ok job on any computer. I have successfully multitasked on my AT&T 6300. I have yet to find a multitasking system that will allow applications to share a mouse. There are others that I have not tried: WendinDOS, VM386 come to mind. Anybody have experience with these? Russ Sharples homxc!rps NOTE: The above in NO WAY reflects the opinions of AT&T. These opinions are my own and the results of un-scientific and highly irregular analysis methods.
bturner@hpcvlx.HP.COM (Bill Turner) (07/13/88)
If you are going to use this to multitask DOS apps, then by all means go with DESQview. MSWindows is at its best when its running apps written for it; it isn't really that good on DOS apps. --Bill Turner
gas@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Guerry A. Semones) (07/14/88)
My advice is to check out Desqview. NOTE: I have NEVER used Desqview and so this is NOT an endorsement. BUT, I have used Windows (v.1 and 2) and do not recommend Windows for the following reasons: 1. You cannot run NON-Windows programs within a window. Turbo Pascal MIGHT work, but if you compile any program that does screen I/O it would probably blast Windows and hang the system. That's no good. If your application is NON-Windows, then windows switches itself out of RAM, clears the screen and brings up your application. This will effectively cancel out easy-taskswitching and definately rules out multitasking of any type. Desqview on the other hand will allow any compatible program (well-behaved) run in a window and be multitasked. Windows is really for people with Windows applications. 2. Desqview will probably make better use of you EMS. Note *probably*. Again, not an endorsement as much as a be careful about Windows. -- Guerry A. Semones BITNET: drogo@tucc.BITNET Information Services USENET: gas@ecsvax.UUCP, semones@dukeac.UUCP Duke University My views are despairingly mine only. Talent Identification Program "We ain't gifted, we just work here."
eli@spdcc.COM (Steve Elias) (07/14/88)
concurrent dos XM is worth a look, too... PC magazine recently rated Concurrent 386, which runs just like concurrent dos XM...
bear@bgsuvax.UUCP (Michael D. Bear) (07/14/88)
I have used Desqview, Windows, Gem, Doubledos, and the PD programs Hotdos and Tripdos. The only ones that do a reasonable job of multitasking are Windows and Desqview. Windows works only with windows-based applications, but Desqview will work with almost anything. It will run them in a window, or full screen, and multitask either way. I often run Zmodem in the background, while I do something else. In short, I strongly recommend Desqview, but it will be slow on a 8088 machine. Program swapping is almost instantaneous if you have a Ramdisk in expanded (EMS) memory, too.
gardner@kodak.UUCP (dick gardner) (07/14/88)
>In article <10903@cisunx.UUCP> spectre@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu (Robert Sillett) writes: > >| I am planning to purchase a multitasking program for my PC clone >| in the very near future. > If you want a REAL multi-user, multi-tasker, you want QNX. As a bonus, you get networking built-in (though it requires purchasing network cards and multi-node licenses). To the user, it looks a lot like UNIX. PC-DOS can run as a guest task under QNX. Lots of other bennies, too. =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=# Dick Gardner -- Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, New York 14652-4201 Phone: (716) 477-1002 UUCP: {allegra,rutgers}!rochester!kodak!gardner "Oh yeah?!? Well, MY computer is SOOOOO FAST, it executes an infinite loop in 6 seconds!!!" =#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#=#
ralf@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Ralf Brown) (07/14/88)
In article <2626@bgsuvax.UUCP> bear@bgsuvax.UUCP (Michael D. Bear) writes: }I do something else. In short, I strongly recommend Desqview, but it will be }slow on a 8088 machine. Program swapping is almost instantaneous if you have }a Ramdisk in expanded (EMS) memory, too. An 8088 is a little underpowered for DESQview, but Windows would be even worse because it runs in graphics mode. Program swapping is unneccessary if you have EEMS memory, as DESQview will task-switch among more than 640K of programs, something Windows can't do. In addition, the equivalent of the new Windows 2.10 driver to use 50K of exTENDed memory on 286 and 386 machines has been available to DESQview users for over a year. I'm typing from a machine running 60K of DESQview in exTENDed RAM since last July. -- {harvard,uunet,ucbvax}!b.gp.cs.cmu.edu!ralf -=-=- AT&T: (412)268-3053 (school) ARPA: RALF@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU |"Tolerance means excusing the mistakes others make. FIDO: Ralf Brown at 129/31 | Tact means not noticing them." --Arthur Schnitzler BITnet: RALF%B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU@CMUCCVMA -=-=- DISCLAIMER? I claimed something?
joel@peora.ccur.com (Joel Upchurch) (07/14/88)
In article <5404@ecsvax.uncecs.edu>, gas@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Guerry A. Semones) > 1. You cannot run NON-Windows programs within a window. You can run non-Windows applications in a window if they can be set up to do BIOS writes rather than direct screen writes. Can Desqview really window stuff that bypasses the BIOS? I can't think of any any handy way to intercept the writes to the display memory on a non-386 based machine. Of course I'm not a hacker when it comes to my PC. I do agree that if your primary goal is to multi-task non-Windows applications, then Desqview is probably a better choice. -- Joel Upchurch/Concurrent Computer Corp/2486 Sand Lake Rd/Orlando, Fl 32809 joel@peora.ccur.com {cbosgd!codas,uiucuxc,hoptoad,petsd}!peora!joel (4078501040)
ralf@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Ralf Brown) (07/15/88)
In article <3614@peora.ccur.com> joel@peora.UUCP writes: }In article <5404@ecsvax.uncecs.edu>, gas@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Guerry A. Semones) } to do BIOS writes rather than direct screen writes. Can Desqview really } window stuff that bypasses the BIOS? I can't think of any any handy } way to intercept the writes to the display memory on a non-386 based } machine. Of course I'm not a hacker when it comes to my PC. While DESQview can't intercept direct writes on less than a 386, more and more programs are DESQview-aware. Any program which writes directly to screen memory has to determine where the screen memory is and store that value away somewhere. By adding ten lines of assembler or equivalent HLL code, it is possible to make the program write into DESQview's shadow buffer, which can then be windowed. There is even a small TSR available that helps in patching in DESQview-awareness. You change (with DEBUG) the actual instruction that loads the screen address into an interrupt call, and the TSR replaces the value with DESQview's buffer. -- {harvard,uunet,ucbvax}!b.gp.cs.cmu.edu!ralf -=-=- AT&T: (412)268-3053 (school) ARPA: RALF@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU |"Tolerance means excusing the mistakes others make. FIDO: Ralf Brown at 129/31 | Tact means not noticing them." --Arthur Schnitzler BITnet: RALF%B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU@CMUCCVMA -=-=- DISCLAIMER? I claimed something?