From:	baldo AT chasque DOT apc DOT org
Message-Id:	<3.0.1.32.19970915155722.0068abb8@chasque.apc.org>
Date:	Mon, 15 Sep 1997 15:57:22 -0300
To:	leathm AT solwarra DOT gbrmpa DOT gov DOT au (Leath Muller)
Subject:	Re: 32bit DOS.
Cc:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
In-Reply-To:	<199709142320.JAA09381@solwarra.gbrmpa.gov.au>
References:	<199709121403 DOT KAA19349 AT delorie DOT com>
Mime-Version:	1.0

At 09:20 AM 15/09/1997 +1000, you wrote:
>> Of course!  32-bit mode without protection (well, unless you ask for
>> it) - full hardware access!  That's what DOS *is*.
> 
>> The idea is that the OS is 32-bit, and it creates a V86 box in which
>> it provides a compatible 16-bit API, so that it can run 16-bit
>> programs.  However, the OS, being in flat memory, can include DPMI,
>> cache, CD-ROM, etc without taking up conventional memory, and it would
>> just "know" about other types of executables.
> 
>Sorry if this sounds kind of, ummm, hmmm, negative... ;)  But isn't this
>Win95 without the GUI? More specifically, Win95 doesn't give you all the
>access to the hardware that you would like as it has protection for this.
>But it is possible. So what is the difference between Win95's DOS prompt
>and your 32-bit DOS?
	First: no one is making such a 32-bit DOS! Only we are wondering about,
thinking, but not taking this so seriously.
	The win95's DOS prompt crashes a lot of programs, so it is not 100%
compatible.
	It has many drawbacks, suchs as no very high resolution timers, etc.
	It is a bit slower.
	It eats a lot of phisical memory, so programs must page more to hard disk.
	I have to load win 95, then put the DOS prompt. In my slow machine this is
tedious.

	Talking about this topic, a question has come to me: When a DOS protected
memory program (such for example a DJGPP program) run under the Win 95 DOS
prompt, and for example uses the hardisk, in normal Real Mode DOS (or pure
DOS) it switches to real mode, do the operation and then switch to
protected mode again, but in the DOS box under Win95, it switchs to real
mode or V86 mode or it do not switch to any mode and do the operation in
protected mode?

>I am just playing 'devils advocate'... :)  And who is going to write the
>GUI? Is there going to be a GUI? I would like a 32-bit DOS w/ an optional
>GUI so I can run nice big DOS prompts... I like vi... :)
	I love the command prompt, but, I think a GUI would be an addon from other
people, and is there a GUI for DOS? I mean do the classics operations that
DOS does.
	Please, dont say why not use windows explorer? or such thinks.

Ps: We are dreaming, not working or thinking seriously about the 32 bit
DOS! Sorry for the confusion!

Ivan Baldo: baldo AT chasque DOT apc DOT org - http://www.chasque.apc.org/baldo

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