From: dclayton@bnr.ca (Don Clayton)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Re: Some questions about OS/2......
Date: 15 Apr 92 12:58:22 GMT
Reply-To: dclayton@bnr.ca (Don Clayton)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.

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

The High Performance File System (HPFS) uses threads and caching.  I have yet to see
anything in the DOS world that keeps up (and little in the UNIX world).

|> 
|> 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.  You can have either windowed or full screen command prompts, with piping and
queueing as well.

|> 
|> 3) Does DOS boxes support ANSI?

Yes

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

There are shareware screen blankers (both still and animated).  I used to have a
fire-works program that ran both as a blanker and when I was using the machine, 
very distracting.

|> 
|> 5) How do I unfrag HSFS drives?

Got me, never had that problem.  When it crashes it resets itself on the next boot.

|> 
|> 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.

If the Window is a command prompt window - not for a PM application.

|> 
|> 7) Do Dos boxes support UMB?

UMB?

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

Ctrl-Esc gets you back to OS/2, or if it's in a window just close the window.

|> 
|> 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.

If the application can handle it.  I don't think most DOS ones could.

|> 
|> 10) Is there an icon editor?

Yes.  It was in the developement kit, but I think it's standard now.

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

Depends what your are doing, how much RAM you have, and how impatient you are.
Probably a couple of Meg on average.

|> 
|> 12) What's MS's C-2 protection? How's it better?

You mean in NT (which is only speculation at this time).  I think it has to do
with user protection - like in UNIX.

|> 
|> 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, with a .cmd (batch) file.  No undelete on HPFS, but others will work on FAT.

|> 
|> 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?

You could with full screens.  I don't know about Windows.

|> 
|> 16) Multi/Ulti-media support?

Yes - PM has it's own.

|> 
|> 17) Dos games work? [TOP PRIORITY :-) ]

Yes

|> 
|> 18) Street Fighter II applet??? :-) :-) :-)
|> 
|> 19) Cool hologram like Dos 5's? BTW, how's the box?

Great if you like 630k free (VGA) or 720k free (Mono) and crash protection.

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

Minimal.  I'm sure there are lots of "How to" books.

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

What's this?

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

End of June or July I thing.

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

Yes.  HPFS reads the whole disk into RAM, then out again - really cooks.

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

No.  Those where the betas.

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

Ctrl-Esc to PM and Windows (which are on the same screen).

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

Good, at least in 1.3 they where.  There are several IBM bulletin boards and they
do offer bug fix disks.

Don
BNR has better things to do then tell me what to say on Internet,
  so I hardly think these are their views.
"Pick up the receiver, I'll make you a believer." - Depeche Mode