Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!umeecs!shim From: shim@zip.eecs.umich.edu (Sam Shim) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: DesqView (VGA line correction) Message-ID: <2456@zipeecs.umich.edu> Date: 31 May 90 01:36:37 GMT References: <4ab42bf8.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM> Reply-To: shim@eecs.umich.edu (Sam Shim) Distribution: usa Organization: University of Michigan EECS Dept., Ann Arbor, MI Lines: 93 In article <4ab42bf8.20b6d@apollo.HP.COM> nelson_p@apollo.HP.COM (Peter Nelson) writes: > Given DOS and the variations in PC configurations it is a wonder > that Desqview works at all. And while I wouldn't say it "stinks" > it certainly does not work all that well. At last count (this weekend) > *half* of my programs either don't run at all under Desqview or require > special handling like being loaded first or not having certain > other programs in the system at the same time. Now granted, I > probably have a larger percentage of graphics programs than other > people and graphics appears to be Desqview's Achilles Heel, but > given the increasing popularity of graphics programs on the market > and the apparent unwillingness of companies to write PC software > which is well-behaved, this will seriously limit the value of Desqview. I've heard from the net that a tech support guy from Quarterdeck said that they haven't found a single program that does not run under Desqview. Slight exaggeration, but mostly true, I think. He said that some program might require some major hacking on Desqview, but Quarterdeck has gotten it to work. I've had very few problems with graphics programs, since I run a lot of graphics programs (mostly games). I think that is a good test of how well a multi-tasking program is. Desqview is not a multi-tasker for the average computer user. It is a hacker's multi-tasker (at least in my opinion). Some programs, especially graphic programs, require a lot of option flipping to get it right. Usually the best combo for a difficult program is to run it full-screen with direct writes to screen and no virtualization. That has solved most of my problems. Sometimes however, setting something totally unrelated to a different value will fix it also (a bug somewhere, but I'm not sure which). It's a difficult program to use, but I feel that the rewards are worth it. > I'm also curious about the use of "premier", above. Desqview has > sold a little over a million copies. Windows, prior to 3.0, has > sold about 7 million copies. Microsoft is expected to sell some > 4.5 million copies of 3.0 in the near term, and some estimates > suggest that figure could be as high as 7 million. To put it simply, SO? I've seen estimates (I think from PC Week) that Microsoft will be lucky if they have 250,000 people actually running Windows 3.0 by the end of the year. I have a copy of Windows 3.0, but it's sitting on the shelf for now. Microsoft tries to bundle Windows with everything they sell, and I've heard dealers can get copies really cheap. But many users (including some of my friends) have a copy but just put it aside. I think in a year Windows will really catch on. But not yet. Many with NewWave environment will Windows become big. My impression (from people I work with, my friends, Compuserve, and the net) is that there are about equal numbers of Windows and Desqview users out there. > Do you have any personal experience with Windows 3.0? For that > matter, does anyone here on the net? I am very interested in > knowing how it compares with Desqview it its ability to multitask > programs not written explicitly for that environment, especially > graphics or communications programs. > > I am still of the opinion that multitasking DOS, especially given > the way most DOS programs are written, is so difficult that it is > impossible to say any product does it "well". Desqview may not > be as bad as some competitors, but that's a long way from saying > that it is truly "good" at it, nevermind "great". I have used Windows 3.0. I find it really nice to use, but a little awkward. I guess it's because I'm used to Desqview's quick menus and the speed of Desqview (Windows, being graphical, doesn't feel to run as fast as Desqview). I would easily recommend it, but I would recommend Desqview even more if the user is willing to play with Desqview. Windows seems to multi-task non Windows (standard DOS) programs pretty well (Yes, it even handles the games that I tried), but not as smoothly as Desqview. I feel Desqview is truly great, and so do many other users. So does many of the computer journals. Desqview has received many awards and many recommendations from comp journals. You might disagee with me, and that's fine too. Desqview is not perfect, and it requires a lot of work to get it working properly. In someone else's eyes that might make the program not great. In my eyes, that's no problem. What I am concerned about is the end result from the program and all my hacking. Quarterdeck's customer support sticks really badly. It's customer support is legardary. There are not many other companies with customer support as bad as them (I have yet to see any). I learned to manage on my own with some help from Compuserve. I don't mind. But they really should take a look at Zeos, or Northgate or Wordperfect (all have 20+ hour customer support per day) and see how well their customer support depts are. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Sam Shim | "I didn't do it... | | EECS Departmental Computing Organization | It wasn't me... | | University of Michigan | Nobody saw me do it... | | Ann Arbor, MI 48109 | Nobody can prove a thing..." | | internet: shim@eecs.umich.edu | - Bart Simpson | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------