From: nunn@nutmeg.cs.ntu.edu.au (JsNO  BAR---NUNN)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: THE MOST TASTELESS OS (MSDOS)
Keywords: Unknown
Date: 21 Aug 92 14:16:02 GMT
Organization: Information Technology, Northern Territory University


                                   MeSsyDOS
                                   --------
                        By Jason Nunn (JsNO BAR---NUNN)

  Back when PC's first came out; I would have considered MSDOS an excellent
little Operating system (I was 9 you see). The PC back then was a 8088 Intel
chip with 64K of ram, a tape drive and a few NEC and Motorola drivers throwen
in. With the memory it was running on, no system could have been more easy
to install, easy to use and been more compatable.
  Now days. We have MeSsyDOS running on Mini computers (virtually). With
the unnessary constraints that MeSsyDOS applies (hence called messy),
"Messy" is very inefficient, and only good for the machines it was built for.


                                The Bad points.
                                ---------------

  I can think of no good points about MeSsyDOS, only that it can be sqeezed
on to 2 or 3 disks. The following is a list of bad points about MSDOS.
 Note that this list is not exhaustive.

MULTITASKING:
-------------
  MSDOS can't do multitasking, it needs mummy Windows to help it, and
even with windows it can't do it very well. For example, try firing up a
shell and loading a application in it. See how well it multitasks then.
Even with your multitasking setting set on full welt, you still can't
do it.

MSDOS uses BIOS.
----------------
 Back then, BIOS was extremely useful. It was needed to get over the
compatability problems with a whole myriad of different hardware that
went in PC's. Back then, things were "nearly 100% compatable". Now days,
You will find that most (if not all) the brand new PC's of every manufacturer
are compatable to the bare metal. Take MINIX for example, It talks to the
bare metal and doesn't need BIOS to help it, and it will run on just about
any modern PC now, imperative.
 The fact is, BIOS is made to be compatable, not fast and efficient. I would
even bet money on the code being 16 bit (and thats including latest versions).

 Here a few summary points about BIOS:

 - BIOS is a pig,
 - BIOS is a pig,
 - BIOS is a pig and
 - BIOS is a pig.


    - MSDOS has got the worst Memory manager,

  I don't know of any OS that forces unnessary memory constraints on,
itself. In Messy, we have conventional memory, we have High memory, we
have extended memory and we a expanded memory.
  On the modern machine (>= 386), memory is memory is memory. You have
 2^32 address's of memory without changing your memory segments. Under
a real operating system, if you have 4 MEG program, then you will be able to
load the bastard into the 4MEGs of memory, not a problem. But with Messy,...
oh-no forget it.

  Not only that, but to manage this complex constraint is a clugg on your
machine and consumes rather a lot of resources to maitain it. Did you know
that a lot of people have got rich just by inventing ways of managing this
better! (eg QEMM drivers).

    - MSDOS has got a pretty bad file management system.    

 On the crispy outside, the MSDOS file system is about the best thing about
MSDOS. But as you undo the wrapping, you will discover a sack of shit.
For example, Messy maintains to 2 FAT tracks on a given disk. This is the
most stupidest thing because if one is corrupted, how the heck do you know
which one's correct?.  You either have 1 FAT or you have 3 FATs. basically,
it makes me wonder what happens in the microsoft meetings sometimes.

 Secondly, It stores all the address pointers in one place, which to me,
seems pretty stupid. The C-64's method (which I think is a romper room
verion of CP/M), distributes it's pointers where the data is (it actually
links blocks together that store a given file). At least that way, if you
lose your data; you won't have any need for the pointers, but thats getting
philosophical.


CONCLUSION:

  Microsoft!!....invent UNIX and make it free. The UNIX system is perfect,
nothing bets UNIX. UNIX rules the world and UNIX was implemented properly!.
If you can't do that, give us the source code for messy. At least that way,
32 bits hackers can built it 32 bits.


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     GET SET TAX DODGERS....It's JsNO BAR----NUNN (shit not him again :( )
                                 DARWIN, NT
  We need a another bloody Cyclone!!: (a) Need the rain,
                                      (b) Put Darwin back on the map.
          nunn@pandanus.cs.ntu.edu.au, nunn@nutmeg, nunn@calytrix
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