flowers@ucla-cs.UUCP (02/26/87)
Does anyone have any opinions, good or bad, about the DOS enhancement
programs below, or know of any other similar programs?
- Software Carousel (SoftLogic) -- keeps several programs in core
- Double Dos (SoftLogic) -- lets you run one task in
background and one in foreground, works with Software
Carousel
- Doctor Dos (no source on package) -- claims to have
identified parts of DOS which are inefficient and provide
speedier versions, "makes a PC run like an AT".
Margot Flowers
Flowers@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU [or Flowers@UCLA-CS for old host tables]
...!{ucbvax|ihnp4}!ucla-cs!flowers (uucp)harryb@slovax.UUCP (02/28/87)
in article <4684@shemp.ucla-cs.UCLA.EDU>, flowers@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU says: > > Does anyone have any opinions, good or bad, about the DOS enhancement > programs below, or know of any other similar programs? > ... > - Double Dos (SoftLogic) -- lets you run one task in > background and one in foreground, works with Software > Carousel > ... > Margot Flowers I spent about four hours testing this for my company about a year ago. I gave an informal oral report to our software department, and didn't keep my notes because I didn't intend to ever use the thing. The gist of my report was, "Don't touch it with a ten foot pole." Some problems I had with it seemed to stem from their installation and copy protection scheme, which tinkers with YOUR hard disk directory information, said tinkering can only be undone using THEIR software, and then not completely. They place two hidden files in obscure, but normally used, locations on your hard disk, and write the directory track information in their special way. Among other things, good-bye easy backups. When I un-installed it, the uninstall process left several hidden files littering up my disk and eliminated access to several blocks until I reformatted the hard disk. Furthermore, I tested concurrent performance by performing what was normally a one minute print job concurrently with what was normally about a one minute compile. Performing concurrently, they both took EIGHT minutes to complete, an increase in processing time by a factor of four. It did function as a print spooler, if the secondary concurrent activity was not cpu intensive, such as using an editor and typing slowly. Another negative factor was that chkdsk would bomb and irretrieveably hang the machine when it was performed in the secondary DOS mode. Overpriced, under performance, buggy, and utilizes a copy protection scheme that can be hazardous to your sanity and data. Avoid. -- ________________________________________________________________________ Harry E. Barnett {hplsla,uw-beaver}!tikal!slovax!harryb Brittanius (shocked): Caesar, this is not proper. Theodotus (outraged): How? Caesar (recovering his self possession): Pardon him, Theodotus: He is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and islands are the laws of nature. --Caesar and Cleopatra, Act II, George Bernard Shaw
bentrup@uiucdcsp.UUCP (03/11/87)
/* 5:48 pm Feb 27, 1987 by harryb@slovax.UUCP in uiucdcsp:comp.sys.ibm.pc */ > - Double Dos (SoftLogic) -- lets you run one task in > background and one in foreground, works with Software Carousel >[ In his posting, Harry reported several problems with Double Dos, > specifically a copy protection scheme which tinkered with the hard disk and > poor concurrent performance. ] Assuming the was a recent version of Double Dos, I'm convinced it's not for me. However I still have a need for Multitasking (and don't want to wait for DOS 5.0). I've tried Wendin's toolbox with little/no success. So does anyone have a suggestion about obtaining multitasking under DOS? (Hence ruling out XENIX/UNIX/etcIX). I've seen an add for QNX by Quantum Software in Ottawa, Canada. Anybody have any experience with it? What I'm looking for is multitasking software that doesn't require MEGA-work on my part to make it work with my applications. Thanks for any information. john John Bentrup University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Computer Science arpa bentrup@a.cs.uiuc.edu bentrup@uiuc.ARPA csnet bentrup%uiuc@csnet-relay usenet {pur-ee,convex,ihnp4}!uiucdcs!bentrup
ittfb@dcatla.UUCP (03/23/87)
In article <75800028@uiucdcsp> bentrup@uiucdcsp.cs.uiuc.edu writes: >out XENIX/UNIX/etcIX). I've seen an add for QNX by Quantum Software in >Ottawa, Canada. Anybody have any experience with it? What I'm looking for I've used QNX for about 4 years now. It's a pretty neat system in it's own right, but it's not a multitasking MS-DOS. It *will* run MS-DOS as a QNX task, in background or foreground, but only one MS-DOS task per machine is allowed (not surprising given the memory requirements of most DOS applica- tions). Even doing this requires an extra-cost piece of software, QDOS2. If you want a small, fast, versatile multitasking environment on your PC (QNX has shared libraries, will run on a single floppy PC with 128k) QNX is a good bet, as long as you're not interested in compatability with MS- DOS or even Un*x. It'll read/write MS-DOS disks, but it ain't MS-DOS. Write me if you want more information or have specific questions. Tom Blakely (404)442-4866 {akgua,gatech}!dcatla!ittfb ---->Standard disclaimer, etc.