don@dons3b1.UUCP (Don Joslyn) (11/28/89)
I have the following observations and questions regarding VGA video resolution
having enough bandwidth to support a complex desktop environment including
a GUI (with desktop accessories and icons), and multiple applications.
OBSERVATIONS:
* "UNIX" Workstation environment with 1Kx1K video resolution (or equivalent):
On my "Unix" workstation running my favorite GUI, I can easily display on my
screen: one full page of a document using a WYSIWYG document publisher,
one or two open terminal sessions, maybe one additional small application,
several icons representing "closed" applications, plus the console window.
* PC DOS environment with VGA adaptor:
The current DOS environment with a GUI/Desktop does not appear to have enough
resolution to display more than one application at a time. Further more,
most WYSIWYG word processors that I've seen on DOS are not able to
display a full page of my document. Anyone that has run applications under
MS-Windows knowns what I'm talking about. (I hope :-)
ASSUMPTIONS:
1. OS/2 with Presentation Manager (as a GUI), multi-tasking and multi-windows,
promises to provide a desktop environment such as the Macintosh and "Unix"
workstation systems, etc.
2. A VGA video adaptor will not provide sufficient bandwidth to accomplish this.
QUESTIONS:
Am I wrong? Does the VGA video adaptor provide enough bandwidth?
If I use an 8514 video adaptor (or equivalent), will OS/2 and OS/2 based
applications take advantage of the bandwidth and provide me with an equivalent
environment typical of a Macintosh or "Unix" workstation?
Specifically, what have you observed?
I also have the same question regarding DOS applications. What DOS
applications take advantage of the resolution offered by the 8514?
Are there DOS applications around the horizon that will take advantage of the
8514?
Are there choices other than the 8514 that work well?
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Thanks for your patience and thanks in advance for your help,
Don Joslyn
Cooper City, Florida
UUCP: ...{gatech!uflorida,ucf-cs}!novavax!dons3b1!dongerten@uklirb.UUCP (Rainer Gerten) (11/29/89)
In article <26@dons3b1.UUCP> don@dons3b1.UUCP (Don Joslyn) writes: >Am I wrong? Does the VGA video adaptor provide enough bandwidth? No. >If I use an 8514 video adaptor (or equivalent), will OS/2 and OS/2 based >applications take advantage of the bandwidth and provide me with an equivalent >environment typical of a Macintosh or "Unix" workstation? Yes, perhaps in some points even a little better (Try OS/2, Version 1.2) >I also have the same question regarding DOS applications. What DOS >applications take advantage of the resolution offered by the 8514? For DOS, I don't know some. But MS-Windows, Version 2.11 can utilize the 8514-adapter and therefore all Windows-programs can use the resolution. >Are there DOS applications around the horizon that will take advantage of the >8514? I you program yourself, you can use Borland's languages (C,PASCAL,PROLOG) together with the 8514 under Borland's graphic interface BGI. >Are there choices other than the 8514 that work well? For MS-Windows, you can get boards with resolutions up to 1.6k x 1.2k, but they are very expensive. There are a lot of black-and-white video-systems around with resolutions about 1.2k x 1k, but they have often compatibility problems, when working with standard applications under DOS. Beside that, only for a little group of boards are driver for OS/2 available. +------------------------------------------------+ | Rainer Gerten | | University of Kaiserslautern | | West-Germany | | Mail: gerten@informatik.uni-kl.de | | Phone: 49(631)205-2510 | +------------------------------------------------+