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Date:         Sun, 15 Nov 1992 21:25:26 -0700
From:         Mike Lieberman <cwmliebe@ANTELOPE.WCC.EDU>
Subject:      Re: The Next Version of Windows for DOS

On Sun, 15 Nov 1992 BARKER%GONZAGA.BitNet@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU wrote:

> Mike, to really think so?  NT is not expected out until the middle of next
> year and a 32-bit version of Windows for DOS even later.  Vendors like
> Lotus, WordPerfect, and Borland will take some time to develop software
> that really takes advantage of 32-bit processing, not to mentioned the
> cost and effort for business and education to update.  The marketing
> projections I have seen (in PC Week and InfoWorld) forcast a much slower
> move to 32-bit apps.
>
> Schools are now just beginning to teach courses on Windows and Windows' apps.
> We did a survey of schools in America recently and found that most four year
> institutions have yet to switch from DOS to Windows while community colleges
> have moved much more quickly to Windows.  Interestingly enough, almost all the
> schools expressed interest in adopting Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows and
> WordPerfect for Windows, few planned to teach Word for Windows or Excel --
> even though in overall sales the later products are beating the pants off
> the former.  Maybe this trend will reverse itself if enough businesses
> start using Excel and Word?  Schools, especially four year ones, tend to
> be followers not leaders. Teacher hate new preps.

The additional time programmers have the SDK on their desks to tune up
their code before the officeal release, the faster you will see 32-bit
apps appear for NT after the release.  It's going to happen faster than is
generally thought.  My experience with posting some older work indicates
that the time is reasonably short to get an app up and running.

I provide some consulting for individuals in education and agree that the
educational institutions lag far behind, though even there the talk is to
whether make further investments in Unix, go to OS/2 or wait for Win NT.

> So as I read it, you think the DOS version of Windows (whether it remains
> 16-bit or becomes 32-bit capable) will die shortly and be replaced by NT?
> Even at the vastly reduced cost of hardware, I hardly seeing that
> happening in the business world any sooner than the later part of this
> decade and for schools the time frame is pushed several years out.  Having
> published 5 textbooks on Windows and Windows' apps (my "Working with
> Windows 3.1" from boyd & fraser is the most popular Windows textbook on
> the market), I can tell you that schools are painfully slow to change, or
> I'd be writing you from Hawaii <grin>.

Most business I work with stopped buying 286es in the late 80s.  They are
no longer buying any 386es. The XT's were move out years ago.  Many went
to employees to take home.  The 286es have seen the same fate or will
within the year.  Disk sizes aren't as much an issue on Networks systems
as the network server supplies the storage and it doesn't take adding
disks to each machine to get them aboard with NT or a more demanding Win
for DOS.  Memory is easier to add and we are adding memory all time to
these machines.  No, business is getting ready.  It's the Ed institutions
that once more will be bring up the rear.

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* Michael Lieberman              Internet: cwmliebe@antelope.wcc.edu *
*                                Voice Phone: 307-856-9096           *
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