Re: XY-4 and OS/2 Experience

[ROB RITTENHOUSE RRITTENHOUSE@xxxxxxxx]

nsivin@xxxxxxxx (Nathan Sivin) writes

>
>What I want to to is run WordPerfect for Windows without running >Windows. If
I can't run it in OS/2, there is nothing I need to do that I >need OS/2 for.
Since neither WP nor the Chinese input program will have >an OS/2 version in
the foreseeable future, the only feature that concerns >me is the ability to
run Windows programs more stably than Windows does. >I do not object to using
OS/2 for DOS programs, but when I tried out 2.1 >the advertised speed advantage
was negligible. Besides, the 66MH machine >I have, while barely adequate to
run Windows graphics program, is as fast >as I could hope for for my main word
processor, XyWrite, and other DOS >programs.
>
>If I understand what has been said so far, I may as well wait until the >full
version of OS/2 comes out, and then find out whether it has any >advantage for
running Windows programs.

OS/2 runs OS/2 programs. It also can run DOS programs & gives them more memory
than DOS. To run Windows programs you need to have Windows. OS/2 for Windows &
the current Warp adapt your existing Windoze. Full OS/2 includes an adapted
Windows (& costs more cause IBM has to pay Bill for it). The situation may
have changed but prior to Warp at least the adapted Windows in full
OS/2 was slightly better than what OS/2 for Windows does.

The advantage of OS/2 Windows (either version) over regular
Windows in DOS (& I believe regular Windows programs under
Windows 95) is that OS/2 can put each Windows app in its own space.
Hence one naughty Windows app (which includes many of em) is much less likely
to hang the whole system. It also multitasks better. Disadvantage is extra
overhead & probably some compatibility issues
(which we can also expect in Windows 95).

My beliefs are:
OS/2 is technically a better operating system than DOS/Windows.
There are far fewer native OS/2 programs than DOS/Windows programs.
OS/2 is a better DOS than DOS & much better than DOS under Windows.
There are pros & cons about Windows programs under OS/2: address space
  separation vs overhead & compatibility.
OS/2 requires more resources than DOS/Windows & WARP may require more
 resources than Windows 95.
IBM has a window of opportunity with Warp. If IBM exploits this &
 especially if Windows 95 has problems of its own when it appears
 OS/2 can establish itself as a serious player. Otherwise it will
 remain a niche player--perhaps with a bigger niche.
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Rob Rittenhouse  RRITTENHOUSE@xxxxxxxx  * Systems in General
Associate Professor  Computer Science   * work poorly or not at all
McMurry University   Abilene TX 79697-0686 * Systemantics. John Gall