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From: altman@sbstaff2.cs.sunysb.edu (Jeff Altman)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Two questions for those who've been using Windows 3.0
Message-ID: <9350@sbcs.sunysb.edu>
Date: 25 May 90 13:59:46 GMT
References: <25184@netnews.upenn.edu>
Sender: news@sbcs.sunysb.edu
Organization: State University of New York at Stony Brook
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In article <25184@netnews.upenn.edu> barron@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Daniel P. Barron) writes:
>1) How well does it run non-Windows applications?  Like (ugh) WordPerfect
>   or (eek!) FreeLance?  Like it or not, I'm stuck supporting these two
>   programs, but I've been thinking about doing the Windows thing...well?

This is in 386 Enhanced Mode Only!
Word Perfect 5.1 can be run very nicely in a window if you specify it graphics
mode as CGA.  This is because Windows 3.0 is unable to display a VGA/EGA
resolution graphic screen from a DOS App in a Window.  If it is set to VGA/EGA
then Windows will force you into Full Screen mode as soon as you try to access
the print preview.  Using CGA avoids this.  However, you must remember that 
when a DOS App runs in a window it loses all access to the Mouse so that the
minimal Mouse Support of Word Perfect is lost.  

Question for the masses:  Why can't MS Windows just remap the Mouse interrupts
for the DOS Apps which recognize them?

>2) How well does it run on a 20MHz 386 with 2MB RAM?

Wonderful on a 16MHZ PS/2 55SX with 4MB.  Get the extra RAM.  Otherwise,
you will spend too much time doing Virtual Memory Page Swaps.

>Inquiring minds want to know...
>
>Well, one more general question...Is Windows 3.0 going to be the spark
>that sets off an explosion of Windows based applications?  How hard is
>it for developers to work with?  Is Microsoft being cooperative with
>applications developers?

I think Windows 3.0 will be a spark for developing software for 386 
machines.  Only on the 386 platform does the multi tasking features 
come into play as far as I can tell.  DDL will also give it a boost on
a 386.
As far as developing for it.  The SDK will not be available to the 
general public until the end of June.  So I don't know.


>Seems to me Windows can only be as good as the applications it runs,
>and this means others besides Microsoft ought to be writing them...
>competition and all that free enterprise stuff, you know.
>
There is quite a bit of stuff available.  The only thing I am looking
for is a True MS Windows Object Library for C++.  A Windows based C++
development environment.  (and other languages for that matter)
And a wonderful, multiuser Database system.  Kind of like a Paradox for
Windows will support for Graphic Images.

>You can e-mail if you want and I'll summarize, but I think these
>questions are of general interest...
>
>db
>
>_______________________________Daniel Barron__________________________________
>                                     | E-mail: barron@wharton.upenn.edu
>"Hunger only for a taste of justice, |         barron@eniac.seas.upenn.edu
> Hunger only for a word of truth."   |         barron@scrolls.wharton.upenn.edu
>            --Tracy Chapman          | USMail: Suite 1400, 3620 Locust Walk
>_____________________________________|_________Philadelphia, PA  19104________


- Jeff
(jaltman@ccmail.sunysb.edu)