🚀 go-pugleaf

I have a Zenith 386 with 4 megs of RAM, and I use both Windows 3.0 and
DesqView.  I am a programmer, but have been doing more analytical work
(ie., Wordperfect 5.1 writing).  This is my situation.  [I suppose I should
also say I am posting this message using Windows' terminal program :-) ]

As to which is better I would have to say....it depends.  If you use
at least a couple windows applications like Word or Excel or Pagemaker,
Windows will be the environment you'll want to use.  It is easy to 
use, reasonably fast, and you can still run DOS applications easily.  If
you ever got frustrated with previous versions of windows (as I did),
you owe it to yourself to try 3.0.  It is an amazing improvement (although
the 386 architecture certainly makes Window's task easier with the virtual
8086 mode).  BTW, please don't start any 286/386 argument threads.  I know
there are probably ways the 386 makes life harder, but that isn't really
the subject here. Many of the built-in parts of windows are very good.
In particular, the terminal, the notepad, and word processor are all
very useable.  For doing quick file modifications I would use the notepad
as readily as Brief or vi.

As for Desqview.  I use DV when I want to use several character based
applications simultaneously, like dBASE, WP 5.1 and a DOS window to
run my applications in.  I like to set DV to show output in 43 line mode
so I can see several applications at once, and can easily flip back and
forth using the mouse.  I see DV as the hacker's choice, because it is
character based, and it makes it easy to switch quickly from one task
to another.  You can do tasks in the background, but you will pay a
performance penalty if you do.  I know my Zenith is slow for a 386 (my
roommate here has an AST 386sx machine that blows the doors off my
*REAL* 386 Zenith) but a background window will typically run with a 
Norton SI of 6.6.  The first window I run (in conventional memory) will run
nominally at SI 15.3.  Once that first window is loaded (taking most of the
available conventional memory) most windows operate at SI 6.6.  I assume
that it is slower to run programs from (E)EMS, but I don't really know.

I don't know how others work, but when I am compiling I am generally
working intently on a piece of code, and I want to see the effects of
my changes as quickly as possible.  (I often slip back to my standard
development environment: SideKick plus.  I have never found another
environment where I can go as quickly back and forth between my program
and the editor.  Besides, with the QEMM memory manager, SideKick
appears and disappears as quickly as original SideKick used to.) But I
digress.  DV is a neat environment to work with, and it doesn't require
much of a philosophical change in the user.  You will run all your
normal programs in the same way you always have.  You'll just have more
things available to you.

These are just my $.02 worth.  I have BATch files that change my
environment between SideKick, Windows, DesqView and NFS.  I've been
using the Windows more lately (because it really is neat!) and I
split time between SideKick and Desqview.

Comments ?

Kelly
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kelly Grant        grantk@manta.nosc.mil   (619) 225-8401
Computer Sciences Corp          ^^^^^^^^ Important: manta.UUCP won't get to me
4045 Hancock Street      "If you are given lemons.....see if you can trade for
San Diego, CA 92110       chocolate" - me

These are my personal views of these products.  These may or may not
be CSC's or NOSC's views.
-- 
Kelly Grant        grantk@manta.nosc.mil   (619) 225-8401
Computer Sciences Corp          ^^^^^^^^ Important: manta.UUCP won't get to me
4045 Hancock Street      "If you are given lemons.....see if you can trade for
San Diego, CA 92110       chocolate" - me