alistair@microsoft.UUCP (Alistair BANKS) (05/26/90)
INTEL / DPMI: Industry committee agrees to specification for DOS Protected
Mode Interface
May 10, 1990
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BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A public specification, called DOS
Protected Mode Interface (DPMI), is now available.
DPMI defines a standard interface allowing extended DOS
applications to more fully exploit the capabilities of protected mode,
multitasking operating environments for Intel-based personal computers.
This standard has been developed by a newly-formed industry-wide
committee composed of 11 industry leaders. In an agreement signed
May 7, the 11 companies have established a committee which will be
responsible for the technical definition of the DPMI specification.
The members are Borland, Eclipse, IGC, Intel, Locus, Lotus Development,
Microsoft, Phar Lap, Phoenix Technologies, Quarterdeck and Rational
Systems.
DPMI defines a standard interface which allows extended DOS
applications to be multitasked reliably under many multitasking
operating environments, including those supporting system-wide virtual
memory. Examples of multitasking environments which will implement
DPMI include DESQview, Microsoft Windows, OS/2, UNIX 386 and VM/386.
The DPMI standard offers important benefits to both software
developers and end users. DPMI provides a standard way for extended
DOS applications to cooperate with protected mode, multitasking DOS
operating environments using the protected mode feature of Intel's 386
and i486 microprocessors. DPMI provides a vehicle for binary
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portability for extended DOS applications across multiple operating
environments that are able to run DOS.
Software developers who support DPMI will be able to sell a single
shrink-wrapped extended DOS application which can run on multiple DOS
operating environments. End users will maximize their investment
because they will not be required to upgrade their extended DOS
applications when they switch to newer, more powerful operating
environments.
The first version of the DPMI specification, version 0.9, is
available now. An expanded version of the specification, version 1.0,
is expected to be released by the DPMI committee by the end of the
year. DPMI version 1.0 will be a compatible superset of version 0.9,
and products which support DPMI version 0.9 will be fully compatible
with DPMI version 1.0.
Software vendors can receive a copy of the DPMI specification
version 0.9 by contacting Intel at 1-800/548-4725 or by writing Intel
Literature Dept. JP26, 3065 Bowers Avenue, P.O. Box 58065, Santa Clara,
CA 95051-8065.
Note to Editors: 386 and i486 are trademarks of Intel Corp. UNIX is a
trademark of AT&T. DESQview is a trademark of Quarterdeck. Windows is
a trademark of Microsoft Corp. VM/386 is a trademark of International
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Business Machines Corp.
As used herein DOS refers to MS DOS and PC DOS operating systems.