From: jmalloy@itsmail1.hamilton.edu (Joseph T. Malloy)
Subject: Re: OS/2 is NOT Crashproof!
Organization: Hamilton College - Clinton, NY
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 01:44:01 GMT

In article <mcdonald.527@aries.scs.uiuc.edu> mcdonald@aries.scs.uiuc.edu (J. D. McDonald) writes:
>In article <1992Nov22.150101.6519@gw.wmich.edu> 925wardell@gw.wmich.edu writes:
>
>f I were to put my crashings on a relatively # I would put it like this:
>
>>Windows 3.0 crashed on me probably 1 per every hour of use.
>>Windows 3.1 crashed one me 1 per every 3 hours of use.
>>OS/2 2.0 GA crashed on me 1 per every 72 hours of use.
>>OS/2 2.0 SP crashes on me 1 per every 24 hours of use.
>>Amiga 2000 crashed on me 1 per every 12 hours of use.
>>Mac system 7 crashes on me 1 per every 120 hours of use.
>
>>       This is just MY OWN EXPERIENCE
>
>Here is mine:
>
>Windows 3.0  .... once a week
>Windows 3.1  .... once a month or less (I've had both DOS sessions and 
>                  Windows programs crash, but they don't bring down Windows
>                  or the computer. It's true that if our NNTP server
>                  dies while I'm using News that Trumpet crashes, and 
>                  thereafter it (Trumpet) becomes very 
>                  unreliable until I reboot the computer 
>DOS          ....  once a month, except when debugging device code
>OS/2 pre-GA  .... once every ten seconds (literally)
>OS/2 later   .... never tried it, don't intend to until its bug free
>Mac  (system 6) .... about once every hour, but I gave up after a couple
>                  of days
>
>I think it fair to say that Windows 3.1 is stable enough for me that
>I don't worry about it at all. Same for DOS .... except when writing
>device code. And I do a lot of code development ... but using a 32 bit 
>compiler, instead of crashes, I get hangups (cured with a button on the
>back connected to INT10 and triggering a DOS kill program interrupt) or
>"Illegal memory reference traps" but very seldom crashes of DOS itself.
>
I am one of those who has used Win 3.0 and 3.1 since they were released
(with a three week break off last June to try OS/2) and I would just add
that even Win 3.0 was stable for me -- crashes were infrequent, but they
did occur.  With 3.1, it's utterly stable, so much so that I decided to
re boot the system every few days, whether it needs it or not (otherwise
it's on continuously, only the monitor get shut down at night).  Local
re-boot has allowed me to continue running just fine after the odd DOS
or Win app has bitten the dust, but even though Microsoft has
recommended rebooting after shutting down a locally-re-booted app, I
just don't bother and it's never mattered.

This isn't to say that I'd entrust our local nuclear power plant to
Windows 3.1 (nor would I want OS/2 in there either!), but it works.
When OS/2 2.x is a solid, is as easy to install, has driver support, and
can do Windows 3.1 seamlessly, I'll glady try it again.   I suspect,
though, the Windows NT may be released (however late!) before those
desiderata are met for OS/2...and it'll be tempting to finally break
down and get the CD-ROM, finally...

My two scents...

Joe
jmalloy@hamilton.edu
 

Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy