From: smsmith@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M Smith)
Subject: Re: Some questions about OS/2......
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 05:01:35 GMT

ry01@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (ROBERT YUNG) writes:

>I have some questions before I try it out. Thank you for your time.
>
>1) Does it have a disk cache? I currently use Super-pckwik. Can I use that? If
>not, will there be an update?

OS/2 has a built-in cache.

>2) Can I have a CLI box on screen so I can do simple stuff like "copy *.xyz"
>without having to click like crazy?

Absolutely.  In fact, you can have several windows open with several
DOS prompts (or OS/2 prompts, or a mixture of the two) open at the
same time.  Or you can run a full screen CLI session with a DOS session
or OS/2 session.
 
>3) Does DOS boxes support ANSI?

Don't know this one for sure.

>4) Is there a screen blanker? Will the one with Super-Pckwik work?

Your PCKwik utilities are DOS based, and they may or may not be able
to run in DOS boxes, but you won't be able to control OS/2's behavior
system wide with them.  I have used a great screen blanker under OS/2
version 1.3.  It gives me animated desktops and lets me specify timeout
periods for the blanker to kick in (the blanker is choosable and is
also animated).  I don't know what is available for the Work Place
Shell yet (I don't have 2.0), but there should be something if it's
not included in the retail package.

>5) How do I unfrag HSFS drives?

HPFS drives are fragment-resistant.  You won't have to unfragment one
unless you have a full disk and have a number of users on a BBS using
it (or something similar).  Gamma Tech makes an HPFS defragger if you
really think you need one.  Check the OS/2 FAQ.

>6) Can I resize windows without resizing the application? ie: I want to only
>see a portion of a program, so I shrink the window until the unwanted areas
>are covered up.

Yes you can do that.

>7) Do Dos boxes support UMB?

I believe the Upper Memory Block is a way of getting more memory for
your DOS sessions under plain DOS.  Under OS/2 you get about 633k
in each session (even after the mouse, cache, etc. have been loaded!),
and you get tons and tons of EMS and XMS and DPMI memory for each DOS
session too.  

Your question reminds me of some of the questions I had when I came
to the OS/2 world.  Concepts like loadhi, qemm, hyperdisk, high ram,
page frame, and many others were so ingrained in me that I didn't 
realize that they were all things that tried to get around the short-
comings of DOS.  You won't need them under OS/2.  What they did for
DOS, OS/2 does for its DOS sessions automatically.  Kiss all that
config.sys twiddling for more ram goodbye.

>8) If a DOS/WINDOW program crashes, how do I quit it?

ALT-ESC out of the session, then kill it from the system's pop-up
menu.

>9) Can I enlarge an application on screen? Like a magnifying glass. Great for
>Ultima Underworld if possible! Just have the playing field on screen.

No.  But if you DO find a way to do this let me know.  I love UW!  :-)

>10) Is there an icon editor?

Yep.  Comes with the package.  Fairly nice, IMHO.

>11) What's the average size of the swap file? Or what's the swap-file size
>ratio with memory amount?

This depends on how many apps you run.  Running Windows apps obviously
take more ram than running DOS apps.  Plan on having about 6-8 megs
in your system for acceptable performance.  I had 4 megs, but just
added 4 more in anticipation of installing 2.0.  With only 4 megs,
OS/2 will tend to slow down a lot if you try to run several programs
at once, and the swap file will grow.  But even then it shouldn't get
over 5-10 MB in size (depending on your apps of course).  I ran OS/2 1.3
with 4 MB and had a good number of apps running, and my swap file never
got over 5 MB, except when I tried opening up dozens of apps at once
just for fun. :-)
 
>12) What's MS's C-2 protection? How's it better?

Can't answer this, though it has to do with protecting files in a
multiuser situation.  C-2 protection has nothing to do with protecting
apps from corrupting one another.  You won't see C-2 protection in any
product of MS until Windows NT gets here sometime next year.

>13) Can I redirect the deleted-file directory to any drive I want? How about a
>Ram drive? Is that bad? Also, can I undelete????

Why would you want to redirect the deleted-file directory to a RAM
drive?  OS/2 can use that memory much more efficiently in other ways.
Or am I misreading what you said?

OS/2 optionally has an undelete feature that copies deleted files to
a hidden directory from which you can undelete them later.  I don't
know if you can tell it which drive to put the directory on, but I
would be surprised if you couldn't.

>14) Mouse support in Dos windows?

Yes.

>15) Can I run different resolution programs in different windows? If yes, then
>if I had OS2 in 1024X758, I can run any program as long as their resolution is
>equal or less. Right?

Can't answer this for sure.  You can run SVGA DOS programs in windows
as long as their resolution is less than the desktop, yes.  But
mixing different SVGA resolutions... I don't know for sure (but I
don't know why not).  Anybody tried it?

>16) Multi/Ulti-media support?

Windows' multimedia extensions work under OS/2, and Win 3.1 support
will be added free later this year (summer?).  OS/2's multimedia
support (called ultimedia) goes beyond Windows, and it's truly
AWESOME.  Full motion video in full screen or in separate windows!
You have to get the hardware to do it, and I don't believe this kind
of software is included in the GA package, so you'll have to buy it
separately.  Also, some of the really nifty IBM ultimedia hardware
may only have MCA versions, so check around before diving into it all
if it's really important to you.
 
>17) Dos games work? [TOP PRIORITY :-) ]

Yes, they work fine.  You can run Wing Commander II with full speech
and music in a window (which is the thing that sold me on its DOS
compatibility).  And yes, for me it's TOP PRIORITY too!!!

>18) Street Fighter II applet??? :-) :-) :-)

As a matter of fact, IBM licensed the code and built in a specific
version of Street Figher III right into the OS's kernel!

(just kidding)

>19) Cool hologram like Dos 5's? BTW, how's the box?

Check the cover of Datamation, Dec. 1991, for a picture.

>20) Manuals????? REAL ONES I MEAN. Not online ones. I hate reading manuals
>from the screen!

Admittedly, if you're used to nice manuals like those that come with
Windows, you may be somewhat disappointed.  But you can buy additional
manuals from IBM.  A leaflet included with the package tells you how.
There are also fairly cheap "redbooks" available on different topics
concerning OS/2 that might be helpful.

You can print out portions or all of the online help too.

>21) Any plans for icon name wrapping like in 3.1??? I guess they should since
>3.1 compatibility is coming.

You can use extremely long names under your icons, and they can be
wrapped.

>22) Will the $50 upgrade from Windows offer end? Is yes, when? And hhow much
>would it be then???

I think the upgrade offer ends on July 31st.  The retail price is
$139, so it won't go above that.

>23) Can I diskcopy in ONE pass now????

Yes, that's the way it worked in OS/2 1.x too.

>24) Is it too buggy to get know???

"to get now" or "to get to know"?  Most of the problems are with
particular hardware, and many are related to the new Work Place Shell.
OS/2 2.0 was released in December, and since then the WPS has become
very stable.  Even if you crash it, your apps keep running and it
brings itself back up with everything the way you had it!

>25) Is there an easy and quick way to switch between full screen DOS or
>Windows? [For those with small screens :-( ]

Yes.

>26) How's IBM's big-fix policy? Free maintainence disks?

Yes, free.  And prompt.

Call your local IBM headquarters and ask them if they have a copy of
OS/2 2.0 that you can look at.  Good luck.

   Steve Smith       | __|__ |    " #*&<-[89s]*(k#$@-_=//a2$]'+=.(2_&*%>,,@
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  ohio-state.edu>    |   |   | 
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