Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uunet!ogicse!ucsd!nosc!crash!edpmgt!gpitcher
From: gpitcher@edpmgt.UUCP (Glenn Pitcher)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Need input for future DOS release
Keywords: future DOS release
Message-ID: <246@edpmgt.UUCP>
Date: 23 Mar 90 20:49:21 GMT
References: <53686@microsoft.UUCP> <2017@clyde.concordia.ca> <1990Mar22.202023.25752@seri.gov>
Organization: EDP Management, La Mesa, CA
Lines: 59

In article <1990Mar22.202023.25752@seri.gov>, marshall@wind55.seri.gov (Marshall L. Buhl) writes:
> >>   ***  Gordon Letwin asks for desired DOS enhancements.  ***
> 
> smw@maxwell.Concordia.CA ( Steven Winikoff ) writes:
> 
> >In any case, off the top of my head, some things I'd like to see:
> 
> >1) A way that works, consistently across all commands (built-in or otherwise),
> >   to change the switch character and path separator character (so that I can 
> >   make DOS look more like Unix!)
> 
> This would be a bitch.  I know I hardcoded these characters in my sorted
> directory listing program.  I'm sure others have too.
> 
 
Couldn't the shell be altered to intercept those directory requests and   
remap the characters before the actual open (or whatever) command is issued?
This way, everyone would be happy :-)
> 
> >2) Interpreting the asterisk in wildcard expressions similarly to how it's
> >   done in Unix (eg handle things like *X.* by generating a list of all
> >   files whose names end with the letter X, regardless of extension --
> >   something that DOS 3.3 provides no way to accomplish).
> 
This is a definate.  I consider this to be a big, nasty bug that's existed
*way* too long.

> >3) Aliases and some sort of command history (currently provided by third
> >   parties, of course, but there's no standard mechanism).
> 

We have these capabilities on our PC's and I tell 'ya, I wonder how I ever
worked without them.
> 
> 6)  The ability to SET PATH=C:\NEWDIR;%PATH% outside of a batch file.
> 
Amen!!            

> 7)  A 4 GB address space.  Aw, heck.  Let's go for a full TB.  ;-)  I
>     remember when 64K seems like more than anyone could ever put to use.
> 
If you really need an entire terabyte right now, I've got an IBM 3090 I'll
sell 'ya *real* cheep :-)
> 
> 10) Verified deletes.  Branch deletes.  Move files without copying.
> 
I think that the verified deletes should be included as an option in the 
delete command.  This way, if you always want to verify the delete, you
can set up an alias.  Moving files is another biggie in my book.

While were at it, I would like to see disk optimization and file recovery.


-- 
Glenn Pitcher                              UUCP: {crash,ucsd}!edpmgt!gpitcher
Programmer/Analyst &                       INTERNET: I wish
Unix Guru in training                       
EDP Management, Inc.                           * Proud member of Team.Net *
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