From: usdgog@vtserf.cc.vt.edu (Greg Granger)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Re: OS/2's lack of decent SVGA support (Re: OS/2 Drivers for Diamond)
Date: 17 Aug 92 17:45:02 GMT
Organization: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

In article <1992Aug13.200955.27485@news.Hawaii.Edu> ressler@galileo.ifa.hawaii.edu (Mike "IR" Ressler) writes:
>...
>before hitting the return key which fixed my worst two video problems. But it
>shouldn't have to be this hard. And since I am a hacker by heart, who doesn't
>mind getting down and dirty when it comes to making my computer sing, what do
>normal people do when they find they can't get their SVGA card to work? If IBM
>wants to break into and keep the non-corporate, home-user type market, they
>have to make it easier for us to set this thing up with our current hardware -
>which means they had better improve the SVGA support in the next go-round.
-----------------------------------------------


Ah, but I think you have "hit the nail on the head" there.
Having, just installed OS/2 (and having (note present tense) many very
annoying problems), I believe that IBM is not after the home-user type
market.  They want OS2 in every OFFICE.  If you doubt this take a look
at what IBM is trying (or at least was trying) to sell for a 'home
computer' (the PS-1).  IBM is trying very hard to stay successfully, in
a rapidly changing, bad economic market, but they don't understand the
home/hobbiest computer user and I don't think they will bother trying to
understand such a user, because IBM doesn't consider them important in
the long term scheme of things.  From what I can see, IBM expects OS/2
to be installed by corporate specialist, on uniform (preferably PS/2)
hardware (anyone who watches the videotape that IBM sends along with
OS/2 (or sent with mine) knows what I'm taking about).  Now don't get me
wrong, this is what (as a for profit company) IBM should be doing.
There's a lot more money in the Fortune 500, than the hobby market (and
the Fortune 500 it is a lot easier to deal with).

Look at the bright side, at least you video is working (now).  I have a
ET3000 based card (older stuff, was hoping to hold out for 24-bit color
cards to common).  It doesn't work well at all, it's got a weird
magnifying line at the top of the screen and won't do full-screen DOS at
all.  I called IBM and they very nicely told be call Orchid or buy a new
card.  Now this card has worked with EVERY VGA APP I've every tried
(including Windows), but not OS/2.  IBM considers this Orchids problem.
I must assume that when IBM states OS/2 is VGA compatible they mean it
works with an IBM made VGA card (period).	

BTW, before anyone (else) tells me this problems been fixed, CHECK.
This is an ET3000 based card (not ET4000 based ... not ET4000 based).
IBM considers it Orchid's problem, Orchid doesn't even use that chip any
more (anyone want to guess what kind of chance I have convincing Orchid
to write a driver for me)?    
(I did however find a IBM5152 printer driver that was compatible with my
old Star SD-10 printer, of course I had to go to the net to do it.)
(Lest I leave you with the wrong idea, I have a Gateway 33Mhz 486 w/ 120
MB IDE drive (ISA system), I just didn't buy a new printer and vid card
when I bought the system ... cause I don't have lots and lots of $$$ ...
anyone that does <grin> please feel free to send me some <grin>)

There is an awful lot to like about OS/2, but it's installation procedure,
lack of support for generic VGA and corporations only mindset ain't it.

So far I've found DOS far more stable (for example I don't have to
reboot the machine ever time I try to get a full screen DOS session
in DOS <grin>) and far friendlier.  

One think I did like (end on a positive note).  I have an Archive tape
drive that I used to back up my system.  I formated my hard disk with
HPFS and was able to read files back in from tape, via a DOS window.

Greg 
usdgog@vtserf.cc.vt.edu

Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc,comp.os.os2.programmer