Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!samsung!uunet!microsoft!steveha
From: steveha@microsoft.UUCP (Steve Hastings)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc
Subject: Re: Microsoft's XMS spec
Message-ID: <55886@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 17 Jul 90 17:54:33 GMT
References: <15173@reed.UUCP> <430@beartrk.beartrack.com> <10502@ists.ists.ca>
Reply-To: steveha@microsoft.UUCP (Steve Hastings)
Distribution: na
Organization: Microsoft International Products Group
Lines: 29

In article <10502@ists.ists.ca> pasquale@sgl.ists.ca (Pasquale Leone) writes:
>
>    Many have complained that their program that can use XMS memory
>won't work under mswindows 3.0's HIMEM.SYS . This is because windows 3.0
>and the new himem.sys does not comply with the XMS (eXtended Memory Spec)
>as originally set out by microsoft and as used by MANY other companies.
>(Desqview, Rational Systems, 4dos, etc)
>They seem to think they can force everybody out of business by setting a
>new incompatible "standard".

This is a needless flame.  The new HIMEM.SYS is, I believe, compatible
with DPMI, the DOS Protected Mode Interface standard.  Microsoft has worked
with a number of other companies to hammer out a spec that will be open
for everyone.  (I don't have the list handy, but I remember that both
Quarterdeck and Rational Systems were on the DPMI committee.)

It's true that the DPMI standard is different from the old DOS extender
standards (like VCPI).  Microsoft took a lot of criticism for this.  But
as far as I can tell it was an honest desire to make better software
(crashing less often) behind this.  Gordon Letwin posted a long and
detailed explanation of why VCPI had to go, and why DPMI is better and
worthwhile; I wish I had kept a copy.

I am not a systems guru and there may be another reason behind this
change to HIMEM.SYS.  It could even be a screw-up by someone at Microsoft.
But I know it is not an attempt to force anyone out of business.
-- 
Steve "I don't speak for Microsoft" Hastings    ===^=== :::::
uunet!microsoft!steveha  steveha@microsoft.uucp    ` \\==|