From: sip1@ellis.uchicago.edu (Timothy F. Sipples)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.apps
Subject: Re: DOS Device drivers for Windows 3.0 apps under OS2?  NFS under os2? X11R4?
Keywords: os2, DOS, windows, device drivers
Date: 7 Apr 92 02:24:10 GMT
Reply-To: sip1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: Dept. of Econ., Univ. of Chicago

In article <1992Apr7.003626.27373@tc.cornell.edu> cohen@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Ron Cohen) writes:
>I am considering os2, but first I need to know if I will have any
>problems using windows applications that require DOS device drivers.
>In particular, I am using a Polaroid C-5000 slide recorder that
>requires both DOS device drivers and a customized Xenographics
>Superprint print spooler within windows.  I have heard about that os2
>allows DOS and Windows applications, but will it also support Dos
>device drivers in such a situation?  

It _should_ work.  Block device drivers do not work with OS/2 2.0's
emulated DOS sessions, but they do (often) work with "real" DOS booted
in OS/2 2.0 virtual machines.  Also, WINOS2 (the Windows version
running under OS/2 2.0) supports Windows printer and screen drivers,
so I would imagine that the printer driver you mention would work
fine.  If you can you should disable any spooling function since OS/2
itself handles that -- you'd just be double spooling.

>Also, is network file system (NFS) supported under os2 2.0?  What
>about X11R4?  Finally what about network printing to a Unix remote
>printer (lpd) as in PC-NFS.

IBM offers a package called TCP/IP for OS/2 at an extremely reasonable
price.  (Educational discounts are available too.)  It is available in
"modules."  The base services retails for $200; NFS is $99 additional
(server and client); X-Windows is $150 (server).  Includes both 3.5
inch and 5.25 inch media, and educational discount is approximately
35%.  The base services supports the remote printing you describe.

For the full product announcement, look in pub/os2/info on
hobbes.nmsu.edu (via anonymous ftp).

Essex Systems and FTP Software both sell OS/2 TCP/IP packages, too.

>Currently I run DOS 5.0 with PC-NFS and Xvision under Window, but I
>have serious memory problems due to the large number of DOS device
>drivers I must load to support FAX, slideprinter, etc. as well as the
>above.
>Should I switch?

Ah yes!  OS/2 2.0 gives you the capability to load different device
drivers in different sessions.  Also, you can get up to 730K
conventional memory in a DOS session.  If you use TCP/IP for OS/2,
none of this memory is occupied by network drivers.  And the up to
730K is after mouse support.

Incidently, the X-vision should still work.  If it runs under "WIN /S"
there should be no problem.

I'm going to be testing PC-NFS specifically in the coming days, so
stay tuned to comp.os.os2.misc for news on that.  (TCP/IP for OS/2
seems like a better package, but I just want to try PC-NFS and see
what it does.)
-- 
Timothy F. Sipples       Keeper of the OS/2 Frequently Asked Questions
sip1@ellis.uchicago.edu  List, available via anonymous ftp from
Dept. of Economics       128.123.35.151, directory pub/os2/faq, or via
Univ. of Chicago  60637  netmail from LISTSERV@BLEKUL11.BITNET.
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.apps