[comp.os.msdos.apps] MS DOS 5.0 Press Release

mwilliams@misvax.mis.arizona.edu (The owls are not what they seem...) (06/13/91)

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Here's the other Microsoft Press release posted to GEnie yesterday.


Mike W.
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****MICROSOFT INTROS DOS 5.0 06/11/91 

REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1991 JUN 11 (NB) -- Microsoft has rolled out
the latest version of its MS-DOS operating system. MS-DOS 5 makes more
memory available for DOS applications and data files, including those
running under the Microsoft Windows environment, offers a new shell, online
help, a task swapper that is similar in appearance to multitasking, and an
undelete utility. 

The product is already in some 7,000 stores, and is available through the
retail channel for the first time. Both Compaq and IBM have announced their
own versions of the product, and are among 130 PC manufacturers who
Microsoft says have licensed DOS 5. 

DOS 5 is an upgrade and will install on machines that have DOS 2.11 or
higher. The cost is $100. 

There is tremendous demand for the product, the first upgrade on this
widely used operating system since 1988. Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman,
said at the unveiling aboard a yacht in New York, "With the overwhelming
commitment of PC manufacturers and the record numbers of orders placed for
the MS-DOS 5 upgrade, we believe this is the largest initial demand in
history we've seen for a PC software product." 

A Microsoft spokesman tells Newsbytes that due to the extensive testing,
MS-DOS 5 is compatible with applications written for all previous versions
of DOS above 2.11. 

The chief claim to fame of the new operating system is its ability to use
at least 45 kilobytes more memory for their DOS applications and will have
as much as 621K of free conventional memory. This also means users can load
more TSRs (terminate and stay resident) programs alongside main
applications. 

The new shell provides a simpler interface to manage programs, data, and
tasks. It looks similar to Windows and includes a file manager, task
swapper, utilities and program manager, as well as online help. 

MS-DOS 5 also breaks several mass storage limits of earlier versions --
users no longer need to load SHARE to access partitions larger than 32
megabytes and can establish disk partitions of up to 2 gigabytes. There is
also support for 2.88 megabyte floppy disks. 

For more information, call Microsoft at 800-992-DOSS in the US. 

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Michael Williams               |                  _   /|    Bill Rules!
                               |                  \'o.O'
University of Arizona, MIS     |     ACK! PTHFT!  =(___)=
mwilliams@mis.arizona.edu      |                     U
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acrosby@uafhp.uark.edu (Albert Crosby) (06/13/91)

> REDMOND, WASHINGTON, U.S.A., 1991 JUN 11 (NB) -- Microsoft has 
> rolled out the latest version of its MS-DOS operating system. 
> MS-DOS 5 makes more memory available for DOS applications and data 
> files, including those running under the Microsoft Windows 
> environment, offers a new shell, online help, a task swapper that 
> is similar in appearance to multitasking, and an undelete utility.
  
Gee, similiar in APPEARANCE to multitasking!  Does that mean that my
Lotus Spreadsheet will APPEAR to recalculate when I have it swapped?

I expect not.

Whoever wrote this press release at Microsoft needs to get a grip on reality.

Too bad noone holds a 'look-and-feel' patent on multitasking! :-)