Re: 64 or 32 bit Win 7

["Kari Eveli" lexitec@xxxxxxxx]

- the DOS emulator must be able to "see" the entire 64-bit file
system

I do not know about this, sometimes it is better to isolate the legacy system, and to have only some
kind of gateway to the host system. Surely, a properly programmed 64-bit version of the
virtualization system host would "see" the 64-bit file system, but I would be more worried
about adequate isolation and protection, and potential guest intrusion into the host system.

 - it must be possible for programs inside the emulator to
launch 32/64-bit programs outside of the emulator without too
much complication. (Think printing, for example: you need to
be able to put documents in the print spool, and/or format them
with Ghostscript. Countless reasons why we must be able to
launch external apps...)

Take VirtualPC, the guest operating system can use physical ports (LPT1:) and networked printers
normally (printer spooling is managed by the guest system!). I use my local printer inside VirtualPC
just like I would use it on the host system. When I want to make PDF files, I print PS files to
FILE: and pick them up with Adobe Distiller on the host system from a shared folder. This is no more
messy than normal operation on a modern Windows system.

 - the emulator must run concurrently with the real operating
system (no "BootCamp"-like nonsense). From the Desktop, the
emulator (and XyWrite within it) should appear as simply one of
many running apps

This is true, and achievable with a bit of tinkering of VPC launching parameters.

 - the emulator should load quickly; we don't want a 30-second
delay every time we fire up the emulator

If you are loading a light-weight operating system like the DOS and Win 3.11 combo, the loading time
is under 10 seconds. Bigger operating systems need better hardware, and virtual machine hardware
acceleration. Incidentally, virtual machines are more than emulation.

 - networking, the old UNC kind, which XyWrite understands very
well on a LAN

This works within the VirtualPC solution (from Win 3.11 onwards as guest).

Best regards,

Kari Eveli
LEXITEC Book Publishing (Finland)
lexitec@xxxxxxxx

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