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Date:         Tue, 28 Jul 1992 23:40:07 EDT
From:         Tony Harminc <TONY@VM1.MCGILL.CA>
Subject:      Gopher & OS/2
              28 Jul 1992 08:31:24 CDT from <maynor@RA.MSSTATE.EDU>

On Tue, 28 Jul 1992 08:31:24 CDT Natalie Maynor said:

>Ok.  What is a SCSI disk, how much do they cost, and where do I get one?

SCSI is (I think) Small Computer Systems Interface.  It really has
nothing to do with disk size or performance, but typically SCSI
(usually pronounced scuzzy BTW) disks come in much larger capacities than
ordinary PC disks.  Also they can be hooked up to many different
kinds of systems (like unix boxes).

>                                                 I'm still considering
>os/2, btw -- getting more RAM first, of course.  My main hesitations about
>os/2 right now are (1) I've heard that it has an icon-based interface --
>YUK, (2) I've heard from a local friend that the only time os/2 has crashed
>for him was when he used tn3270 in the same way I use it, (3) communication
>programs are slow on os/2 -- and they are what I'm most interested in, and

(1) OS/2 does have an icon based interface, but you don't have to use it.
It's the nicest such interface I've seen yet, but if you really don't
want it - just turn it off.  (2) OS/2 has crashed exactly once on me
in three months or so.  And that was when I ran a high-res graphics
application in a mode known to be unsupported.  IBM has this on their
list of thinks to be fixed in September.  (3) I find communication
programs run just fine on OS/2.  In particular, OS/2 does an outstanding
job of running multiple DOS sessions at once.  I have had two different
DOS comm. programs running at the same time, one doing file transfer
and the other an interactive terminal session (WORDS-L of course),
while OS/2 Solitaire plays itself in a corner of the screen.  Pas de
problem.

Before Frank and Graham jump on this, multi tasking is indeed something
that any competent operating system should be able to do without
trouble.  Doubtless unix excels at it.  But OS/2 manages to run
multiple copies of the horribly ugly MS/DOS environment at the
same time - that is a feat.  If you want multi tasking on your PC
and you like unix, then run unix.  If you want to run DOS applications
then OS/2 is clearly the way to go for the next while.  Windows NT
will probably do much the same stuff whenever it is delivered, but
I'm not holding my proverbial breath.

The current downside of OS/2 is that it is very poorly documented.
And you probably won't find a Frank-Peters-of-the-OS/2-world to help
you with it.  Oh yes - it will take just a bit longer to boot than DOS :-) .

>(4) for the cost of 4 more mg of RAM I might be able to do some more
>meeting-e-friends wandering.  Those are not listed in order.  In fact, I
>think reverse order is probably right for them.

Four megs of RAM will buy a very nice dinner for four in a medium-fancy
restaurant.  (Sigh - I remember when RAM costs dropped dramatically
from $120,000 to $75,000 per megabyte.  How's that for showing my age ?)

>But I *am* serious.  Oh -- just thought of another worry.  I unplug my
>computer during thunder storms and when I leave town.  That would make the
>files unavailable at such times.

Oh you ingenuous thing, Natalie!  You always say this just before or
after the most outrageous statements.  And then pretend you really *were*
serious.

Tony H.
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