🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <10741445.8.714801424@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au> 10741445@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au (PAUL TZU WEN) writes:
> I am in the dark with OS2 - so could someone please help me out ? Firstly, 
> what is OS2 ? As far as I know it is some sort of operating system where you 
> can do multitasking. Is that correct ? My questions are:
> 1) Is it any good ?

After over a yer of using Windows, the past 4 months on OS/2 V2.0 have been
great. Windows is dead in my house. OS/2 is a much better multi-tasker -
smoother by far than Windows. You can pile on the work and it just doesn't
seem to slow down. Programs run in protected areas of memory, so if one
program crashes, 95% of the time this has no impact on other task running.
OS/2 is not totally bug-free, but it has Windows beat by miles for stability.
The HPFS (High Performance File Structure) disk format uses less space, runs
faster, and allows 254 character filenames - at least! filenames that *mean*
something! Dos programs running under OS/2 will happily use HPFS. No worries. 
Just don't use Norton Utilities. It doesn't know what it is look ing
at.....besides, HPFS resists file fragmentation, so re-orgs are no longer
needed. 

In OS/2, you get DOS5, Windows 3.x (including OLE and parameter checking) as
well as OS/2 and Adobe Type Manager V2.0. There is also the REXX 32-bit
programming language included. An awesome package for the price.
 

> 2) What do you need to run it ?

A 386/33 or 40 with 6 to 8 megs of RAM and a 100-120 meg disk drive will do
very well. The more RAM and disk space, the better. With OS/2, processor speed
is lees important than the amount of RAM. I have *megs and I haven't really
hit the limit, yet even with 10 tasks open (7 of which were active).


> 3) How do other programs/games work with it ?

Almost all DOS, Windows (2.x and 3.x) programs and OS/2 programs. Most major
DOS/Windows applications have OS/2 versions (CorelDraw - new!, Lotus 123,
WordPerfect, Arts and Letters, PageMaker, Ventura Publisher, Micrgraphix
Draw/Designer, Sytos PLus (backup) and many, many more).

Mathematica 2.0 will not run under OS/2. Nor will Ultima VII. Both use
incompatible memory management techniques. Soon, OS/2 will support Win3.1
fully as well as the Win3.0 programs that Win3.1 won't run.
 
Steve



-- 
Steve Withers - Wellington, New Zealand | If you don't vote for MMP on 
Steve.Withers@bbs.actrix.gen.nz         |  September 19, 1992, then you 
withers_s@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz            |  must like things the way they 
**** Happy user of OS/2 v2!! ****       |  are.....can I live with YOU?