From: duffy@theory.chem.ubc.ca (Pat Duffy)
Subject: Re: Some questions about OS/2......
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 05:39:33 GMT

In article <1992Apr15.023800.67016@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu> ry01@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (ROBERT YUNG) writes:
>I have some questions before I try it out. Thank you for your time.

I'll take my shot at answering the ones I can.  I don't have GA yet :-(, so I
can't answer them all.

>1) Does it have a disk cache? I currently use Super-pckwik. Can I use that? If
>not, will there be an update?

It has its own disk cache built-in.  You won't need your old one.
 
>2) Can I have a CLI box on screen so I can do simple stuff like "copy *.xyz"
>without having to click like crazy?

Yes.  There are both DOS and OS/2 CLIs built-in (but you have to choose to
install the DOS support).
 
>3) Does DOS boxes support ANSI?

It's a full DOS-5 emulation, so yes.
 
>4) Is there a screen blanker? Will the one with Super-Pckwik work?

In a full-screen DOS session, yes.  I imagine that there are screen-savers
out there in the public domain somewhere for OS/2 itself.  Maybe the ones that
come with the video card might work.  On second though, no, I don't think so.

>5) How do I unfrag HSFS drives?

HPFS drives are fragmentation-resistant - much more so than FAT drives.  My
guess is that you won't need to.  However, you can get the Gammatech Utilities
to do this if you want to.
 
>7) Do Dos boxes support UMB?
Yes.  The memory management in OS/2 V2 is good enough that if you only specify
CGA graphics you can get up to 730 (!)K free (no, that's not a typo).
 
>8) If a DOS/WINDOW program crashes, how do I quit it?

Press CTL-ESC to bring up the task list.  Click on the name of the errant 
application with the right mouse button.  Select 'close'.  In some cases, 
where the DOS application has tried to do something nasty to the system,
the system will stop it and present you with a list of options too.  It's 
great - I use it all the time.
 
>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.

I don't think so.  At least not that I've seen or heard of, anyway.
 
>10) Is there an icon editor?

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

That really depends on the number of applications you have running and the
amount of memory they take up.  What's your system like?  With 8MB of RAM
I doubt that you'll see a lot of swapping until you get into the fourth
application, although this too depends.
 
>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????

Yes, yes, and yes.  You won't be able to undelete files if the power goes off
on you.  To undelete (from either the DOS or the OS2 CLIs) type 
undelete <filename> from its directory.
 
>14) Mouse support in Dos windows?

Automatic.
 
>16) Multi/Ulti-media support?

Yes.  The MS multimedia support in Win3.1 will work with 3.0 (it's supplied
as 2 .DLL files, I think), and ultimedia is an IBM trademark, so it stand to
reason...
 
>17) Dos games work? [TOP PRIORITY :-) ]

I use SimCity and SimEarth with absolutely no problems at all. :-)
 
>20) Manuals????? REAL ONES I MEAN. Not online ones. I hate reading manuals
>from the screen!

Available from IBM, apparently, if the ones that come in the box aren't 
enough for you.  You can also print out the online help (if you have lots of
patience and paper :-).
 
>21) Any plans for icon name wrapping like in 3.1??? I guess they should since
>3.1 compatibility is coming.

I'm not quite sure what you mean, but you can have icon names that take up
several lines (I've done it myself).
 
>22) Will the $50 upgrade from Windows offer end? Is yes, when? And hhow much
>would it be then???

At the end of July, if memory serves, at which point it will be $189 US (also
if memory serves).
 
>23) Can I diskcopy in ONE pass now????

I'm doing it now (while I type this message).  I'd say it works.  By the way,
this is a 1.44MB floppy that I'm doing this to.
 
>24) Is it too buggy to get know???

Absolutely not.  I'm using one of the later betas (6.304E) and, while it's 
a bit flakey, it's caused me no real headaches.  From what I hear, GA is 
not perfect, but the imperfections are fairly minor.
 
>25) Is there an easy and quick way to switch between full screen DOS or
>Windows? [For those with small screens :-( ]

I think alt-tab does the job.  Also, ctl-esc will bring up the task list
and you can select what you want from there.
 
>26) How's IBM's big-fix policy? Free maintainence disks?

Free and timely bug-fixes, issued as corrective service diskettes (CSDs).
Free tech. support for the first 60 days after you call for the first tech.
support.
 
>THANKS YOU for your time! Your answers will *REALLY* help me! God bless.

No problem.  

-- 
Patrick Duffy, E-Mail:  duffy@theory.chem.ubc.ca
 
"I wouldn't believe in anything if it weren't for my lucky astrology mood
watch."  - Steve Martin