From: tanith@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Michael D Kretzer)
Subject: Re: OS/2 2.0 "Buglet" Report
Originator: tanith@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Reply-To: tanith@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 04:38:03 GMT

This might be due to a slow computer/low memory situation.  On my 33 Mhz
486 system (with 16450 UART) at 9600 baud, I notice no difference 
between Telix performance in DOS and performance in OS/2.
  
> (2)  Improper saving of desktop state at Shutdown.  
> Applications which were closed before Shutdown are sometimes 
> restarted after a Shutdown and reboot.  Also, the positions 
> of desktop objects are not always saved correctly.  
> Workaround: Sometimes selecting Refresh just before Shutdown 
> helps. 

I've noticed that if I have a full screen session (whether it be DOS
or OS/2) open during shutdown, it will automatically go to the fullscreen
session during reboot (and not WPS), whether or not the full screen 
session was the last in the foreground before shutdown.  I noticed that
beta 6.167 had the same behavior and it was erased by 6.177 (it might have
been 6.177 -> 6.304).  I wonder why they put it back?
>  
> (4)  Jerky mouse movement in Win-OS/2 full screen session.  
> The mouse tracking in a Win-OS/2 full screen session 
> defaults to "Slow."  Adjusting this setting upward using the 
> Win-OS/2 Control Panel helps alleviate the problem, but not 
> completely.  Situation arises with Logitech serial mouse and 
> may occur with other mice.  Background communications worsen 
> the problem. 

I find the same situation on my system (but then again, I also own
a Logitech mouse (two button in-port).  I just notice overall 'jerkiness'
in full screen Win-OS/2 (but strangely enough not in seamless Windows).
Background communications doesn't seem to affect this behavior at all.

> (5)  Mouse tracking "slow" in DOS programs (e.g. Framework 
> III, QBASIC) that use the mouse.  It takes too much mouse 
> movement to move the pointer, and sometimes pointer movement 
> can be jerky.  Similar to (4). 

I don't notice any difference in mouse movement between DOS and OS/2.
I even tried Framework III & QuickBASIC and neither seemed jerky like
full screen Win-OS/2.  

> (7)  Possible floppy disk problems.  I have not been able to er. 

This is documented in the readme file included with OS/2.  On systems
with one 3 1/2 drive and one 5 1/4 drive, the 5 1/4 will format disks 
as 720K disks (previously formatted 1.2MB disks read fine).  No fix
was mentioned in the readme file besides 'we are aware of the problem & etc.'

> (8)  FORMAT bug.  FORMAT /? does not generate help. 

/? is not listed as an option for help in the online documentation.  I
think that IBM's DOS box was not meant to fully replicate all DOS 5.0 functions
100% of the way.  They seem to prefer the WPS help method.

> (9)  Occasional desktop screen disruption when switching 
> among full screen sessions.  Workaround: Selecting Refresh 
> from desktop menu repaints the screen. 

I see this as 'normal behavior'...otherwise, why would there be a Refresh
option?  Switching from full screen to graphic mode may put some garbage
on the screen...  I find that turning SVGA ON clears up a lot of these
problems.

> (10)  SVGA ON results in CGA-like "snow," at least on 
> Trident 8900C setup. 

No problem like that with my Tseng ET-4000 Plus chipset SVGA.  All my DOS
SVGA programs/drivers work flawlessly in full screen mode now...I'm quite
happy with SVGA support (now if I could just get my hands on some PM drivers
:) :)

> (13)  Box selection of desktop objects too difficult.  Box 
> has to be drawn larger than expected. 

Yes, this bugs me too...if the box line runs through an object, it SHOULD be
selected.  I don't like the current implementation of having to draw the 
box 'around'.

While we're at it, another thing that bugs me is that when you press the ALT
key and select an icon to change its name, the text is not automatically
highlighted...I find myself always highlighting the text to delete it anyway
(otherwise, why would I have wanted to change the icon's name?)

> (14)  CHKDSK occasionally appears to "freeze" when running 
> through percentage of disk checked (at last stage of 
> process).  It actually is extremely slow and does eventually 
> complete the check. 

This might be due to hard disk partitions greater than 40 or 50MB.  I first
had one 80MB partition and two 50MB partitions of my 80MB & 100MB hard
drives.  I noticed noticed no 'slowness' with CHKDSK and the percentage
display would rip through rather quickly (note: they were all HPFS).  Then
when I reassigned the two 50MB partitions to one large 100MB partition
I noticed more slowness during CHKDSK (could it be unfragmenting perhaps?)

> (15)  DOS and Win-OS/2 features are poorly (if at all) 
> documented, in the Command Reference or elsewhere. 

I guess they are assuming that if you're using DOS/Win-OS/2, you already
KNOW DOS :)  The online documentation could use a little fixing up...
especially some of the horrid examples.  Plus, some, but not all of the
drivers/files are documented.  It is difficult to tell what files/drivers
are needed and what aren't when there is no docmentation.

> (16)  In the OS/2 Command Reference, double (instead of 
> single) clicking is required for Examples buttons.  (Buttons 
> should always be single click.) 

Yes, inconsistent behavior, but a very minor problem :)

> (17)  Examples for COM.SYS driver in Command Reference 
> extremely confusing and refer to drivers that don't exist. 

The COM.SYS examples are my biggest gripe (besides the features that AREN'T
documented of course).  It took me a bit of head scratching to figure out
that the parameters (COMx, PORT#, IRQ#) allow COM3/COM4 port support on
ISA machines.  This SHOULD be documented.  What the hell are those PRINTER?.SYS
drivers?

> (18)  Selection of mouse model at installation extremely 
> confusing.  No obvious selection for Mouse Systems, nor 
> should every Logitech owner be selecting the Logitech Mouse 
> option.  A reworking of this screen is in order (by listing 
> specific mouse models for example). 

Yes, I agree with you there.  I ended up having to select 'Serial
Pointing Device' for my Logitech mouse to work properly.

> (19)  "MOUSE PC" on a DOS dualboot or multiboot system still 
> required for certain Logitech mouse users.  Mouse may not be 
> found at boot time if the mouse was "used" by native 
> DOS/Windows previously. 

This is only a problem for older Logitech (C7?) mice as you probably know.
My newer post-C7 Logitech mouse works nicely with the drivers.

> (22)  Moving objects difficult.  Mouse button two does not 
> "stick" fast enough.  User must hold down mouse button two 
> over object for a good while before moving the mouse. 

This also might be due to a slow computer/low memory situation...after I
put more memory into my computer (and eventually got a faster computer)
objects 'stick' too quickly for me to notice any delay.  This WAS
a definite problem when I had less memory...

> (23)  Hatch marks are displayed for programs which have been 
> closed and are no longer running.  The problem seems 
> particularly acute for Windows programs. 

Same problem here...they usually go away with a refresh though...

> (27)  Seamless Windows programs sometimes have problems 
> getting keyboard focus.  For example, switch to an OS/2 
> task.  Press CTRL-ESC.  Select running "seamless" Win-OS/2 
> program (say, Microsoft Word 1.1) using the keyboard and 
> ENTER.  Title bar of Windows program colored correctly, but 
> program does not have keyboard focus.  Clicking once on the 
> title bar for that session gives it focus. 

I don't notice this problem at all with any of the Windows programs
that I tried...but I do not own Word for Windows :)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc