Re: warning re New computer; Tame v5.0 RC1

["Robert Holmgren" holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

** Reply to message from "Avrom Fischer"  on Fri, 2 Dec 2005
00:56:11 -0200


> Based on your warning I think I will abandon my idea of dual booting with
> Windows 98SE on a hard drive and stick with xp.

I'm not trying to discourage you. There's nothing I wrote that I wouldn't do
with a single boot system -- backing up, C: = FAT32, multiple partitions, etc.

If you "very very rarely switch from xywrite to a windows app" then why use XP
at all? Edward Mendelson told me that he finds WP-DOS under XP to be
"intolerable" (and he knows a thing or twelve about WP-DOS). I don't use XP,
not seriously anyway, so I don't know -- W2K is fine for WP-DOS. YMMV. Check
Mendelson's website for XP tips (link at XyWWWeb).

In this connection, there is a new Tame v5 Release Candidate 1, which Mendelson
told me was "spectacular -- even sets the video mode". I haven't plugged it
in, but here's what David Thomas says about it:

-------------------

Version 5.0

August, 2005



The following changes were made.


Improved Console
----------------
The new Tame Console allows running DOS applications without the annoyances and
limitations of the native console window.

·     Automatic text resize when the window is resized or maximized to fill
the screen
·     Ultra fast key repeat with no overrun when the key is released. The
repeat rate can vary depending on the key. By default, repeat is high for
cursor movement, slightly lower for text insertion and very slow for function
keys.
·     Supports any number of rows and columns, as long as the application
can work in that configuration.
·     Multiple fonts may be displayed on the screen. Fonts may be
displayed based on the color of screen text. This allows a more WSYWYG look
with DOS word processors, and can enhance the look of form entry
·     The console is not limited to 16 colors for text. Custom colors may
be applied based on the attribute of screen text
·     The cursor shape changes to indicate whether caps lock is active
and/or insert/replace mode.
·     System menu provides access to Tame features

Administrator Functions
-----------------------
·     User preferences are now supported. User options in ?My
Documents\Tame? are merged with system options for teach application.
·     System options that apply to multiple applications may now be kept in
a single file.
·     System options that were previously located in the registry may now
be placed in a tame.ini file instead.
·     Tame can provide a console image in HTML format.
·     Tame can produce an HTML summary of a trace file. The summary
includes screen shots, keystrokes and important events.
·     The EnableUserInterface registry setting may be used to prevent Tame
from popping up dialog boxes when an error is encountered.
·     Tame may now be loaded as a device driver in the config.nt file.
This further reduces memory usage, and provides additional functions.
·     An application can be restricted to a single instance on the machine

Other changes
-------------
·     Tame can disable or remove the close button so that the user may not
use it to kill the DOS process.
·     An icon may be associated with each application. The icon is
extracted from the shortcut and displayed with the console window and task bar.
·     The console code page can be specified. This provides improved
screen image for DOS applications that were developed using a different code
page than that of the system.
·     For multiprocessor systems, a subset of CPUs may be assigned for
working applications verses idle ones.
·     A key may be posted to the input buffer of the application on
startup. This may be used to bypass an opening screen.
·     CPU usage of Non-Polling applications may be drastically reduced. 
·     Application options have been simplified
·     Memory usage by Tame has been reduced.
·     ConsoleWatch text may now be restricted to specific portions of the
screen.
·     Dos time may now be obtained from the OS, even after the DOS app has
attempted to change the time.
·     A new file spooling feature allows a file to be post-processed by an
external command when it is closed by the application. This may be used for
advanced print spooling, as well as other uses.
·     Tame allows bypassing the NTVDM popup window that occurs when an
application requests direct access to the disk.

-----------------------------
Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
-----------------------------