tabu6@CCVAX.IASTATE.EDU (Adam Goldberg) (03/25/91)
According to the April, 1991 issue of BYTE, this is what IBM and Microsoft have in the 'works': Microsoft: OS/2 3.0 Portable to other processors Runs Windows programs, courtesy of Win32 Small-kernel architecture (ABOUT TIME!) Supports at least four APIs: DOS, 16-bit Windows, 32-bit Windows and POSIX Currently a 'pre-alpha' project. Win32 Lets 32-bit Windows programs run under OS/2 3.0 Part of the OS2 2.0 system kernel API set will be hosted on DOS and OS/2 3.0 To be the 'single mainstream programming interface' Binary Compatibility Layer (BCL) A feature of OS2 2.0 Allows well-behaved Windows applications to run directly, without having to be recompiled for 16-bit segmented Windows programs Windows Libraries for OS/2 Allows developers to relink Windows 3.0 programs to run under OS/2 1.2, 1.3 and 2.0 Combines functinos of the BCL and the System Migration Kit Includes libraries that map Windows APIs to Presentation manager APIs. Version 0.9 was released in Febuary MS-DOS 5.0 Tiny, leaving more memory for applications DR-DOS-like memory management Due any month now MS-DOS 6.0 Will have installable file system, which can track and maintain links between documents IBM: OS/2 2.0 The 32-bit version will support future 32-bit Presentation Manager programs Also supports 16 bit PM programs Multiple DOS compatibility boxes Will be able to run Windows applications (without the DOS box possibly with a BCL Slated to be ready sometime this year. ALSO: Intel's i586 is due out this year... +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + Adam Goldberg Bitnet: tabu6@ISUVAX.BITNET + + Iowa State University Internet: tabu6@CCVAX.IASTATE.EDU + + H: (515) 233-5135 + "It's simple! Even a Pascal programmer could do it!" + +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+