[comp.windows.ms] RE Windows-the interface that may never happen...

nelson_p@apollo.HP.COM (Peter Nelson) (06/11/90)

From: nfs@cs.Princeton.EDU (Norbert Schlenker)

:When my copy of Windows 3.0 arrived from Microsoft (in 3 days rather
:than the quoted four weeks!), a quick glance at the manual revealed a
:requirement for 6-8Mb of hard disk space.  I freed up some space,
:installed the package, and discovered the disk estimates weren't far
:off - C:\WINDOWS ate 7.5Mb of my hard disk.  If I want to swap, I need
:(probably) another 2-3Mb of disk space.
:
:But Windows 3.0 doesn't fit that mould.  It is another example of the
:software bloat that we have all come to know.  Frankly, I don't know
:whether I will install it - I question whether it is worth giving up
:10Mb.  I wonder whether others will feel the same way.

  YES!  I'm glad somebody finally raised this issue!   I was
  amazed when I saw how much disk space had vanished after
  installing Windows 3.0.   I haven't done an inventory yet to 
  discover where it all went but Windows is at least THREE times
  as big as the next biggest package I own (probably Zortech
  C++, counting all the insert files, libraries, and tools).  
  Windows is vastly bigger than Desqview 386.  

  I have a 40 meg drive partitioned into 32 and a 10.  I'm not
  in any danger of running out yet, but backups have become a real
  nuisance.   I used to do differential backups and alternate to
  a full backup whenever the differential would require more than
  a 1.44M diskette (usually about once a week).   I use Fastback
  and a Full used to take 6 diskettes.  Now with Windows it takes
  **12** diskettes and a lot more time! 

  I'm still studying Windows to see whether I can actually use
  it productively for anything.  I'll issue a review after a while.
  So fa,r I'm finding quite a few problems with it, especially running
  DOS apps.  As I mentioned before, Windows 3.0 apps are hard to
  come by and very expen$ive, so for me at least Windows will 
  live or die depending on how well it can run DOS apps.

                                                   ---Peter