🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <P534JT!@linac.fnal.gov> glosson@mdtf12.fnal.gov (Rich Glosson) writes:
>I've heard that there is a windowing package that is called Geos.
>Has anyone else heard of it?  If so, how do you like it and how
>much does it cost?
>
>Thanks
>
>glosson@mdtf12.fnal.gov


The windowing package you're referring to is Geoworks Ensemble, by Geoworks.
It runs under GEOS (Graphical Environment Operating System, or something like
that), which runs on top of DOS.  GEOS is much like the Windows environment,
except IMHO it's much better.  You can do *real* multi-tasking of GEOS apps
on anything from an 8088 to a '486.  GEOS will run in as little as 512k of
memory -- it automatically uses your hard drive as virtual memory.  GEOS also
has a unified imaging model, meaning that your display always shows exactly
what's going to be printed.  It has automatic font scaling, so your text is
never jagged on screen or in print.  GEOS also supports multiple threads,
which means, for example, that when you send a document to the Print Manager
you get control back immediately so that you can play Klondike or whatever
while your document is printing.  Windows currently doesn't support multiple
threads.  And remember, you can do all of this no matter whether you're running
an 8088 or a '486.  Of course, GEOS runs much faster on a '486 :-).  Also,
from what I've heard, and from my limited experience, the apps in Geoworks
Ensemble are better quality than those bundled with Windows.  They include
a word processor (GeoWrite), a terminal program (GeoComm), an electronic
Rolodex (Geodex), an appointment calendar (GeoPlanner), and a version of
Klondike (a solitaire game).

One thing I use GEOS for is to keep track of my recipes, which I get from
Internet.  While I'm downloading one recipe file with GeoComm in one window, I
can edit another recipe file using GeoWrite in a second window, cut text from
that file and paste it into Geodex in a third window, while I'm printing yet
another file.  I can't do that on my humble 640k '286 machine with any other
package that I know of.  

GEOS suffers from two deficiencies.  First, you can't do multitasking, or even
task switching, between GEOS apps and DOS apps, even on a '386.  I understand
that version 2.0 of GEOS will include task switching.  It's due out this fall.

Second, GEOS lacks the Win3 marketing juggernaut.  With everyone jumping on
the Windows bandwagon, there's very little resources left over for GEOS
development.  Currently there are no third-party GEOS apps out, but the makers
of VP Planner are working on a GEOS-based spreadsheet, and Geoworks officials
hint of other projects in the planning stages.  Take that for what it's worth.

In summary, Geoworks Ensemble is a terrific package for anyone who wants to
run a multitasking, graphical, WYSIWYG environment on anything less than a
'386 and oodles of memory.  I've even run Ensemble happily on a '486 with
12 megs of RAM (GEOS will use all the memory you can give it).

-- 
   Doug Taylor                         |   Nothing real can be threatened.
   The Ohio State University           |   Nothing unreal exists.
   doug_taylor@osu.edu                 |            - A Course in Miracles