Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!munnari.oz.au!sirius.ucs.adelaide.edu.au!fang!hjh From: hjh@aeg.dsto.oz.au (H.J.Harvey-AEG) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc Subject: Re: DR-DOS Keywords: DRDOS,comments Message-ID: <1129@fang.dsto.oz> Date: 24 Jul 90 17:42:26 GMT References: <1121@fang.dsto.oz> <8502@ur-cc.UUCP> Sender: news@fang.dsto.oz Lines: 76 ttak@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Timothy Takahashi) writes: >In article <1121@fang.dsto.oz> hjh@aeg.dsto.oz.au (H.J.Harvey-AEG) writes: >>I have been running DR-DOS V3.41 for several months and have been very pleased >>with it. Sure, there are a few differences, but the only real problem has >>been its inability to work 100% with PC-NFS. >I've heard of Dr-DOS, but never actually seen anybody run it. What are the >"few differences?" Is it better/faster/smaller than MS-DOS? >Just curious, >tim I have had two computers running CR-DOS V3.41 since February. I was originally attracted to it because: (1) It was a cheap upgrade from MD-DOS V2.11 It cost only A$70 per copy (2) It was upgradable without the hassles of going back to the supplier (3) It provided >32Mb capability without having to be saddled with MS-DOS version 4.0 (4) It provided password protection I wrote a 4 page review for our local computer club (South Australian Micro- processor Group) and could put it on this board if interest is shown. That article goes through my experiences in installation, operation and evaluation. Briefly, in comparison to MS-DOS: It runs about 12% slower than MS-DOS V3.3 It will NOT run all networking packages. It is only "guaranteed" (if that is the right word) to run with Novell. I was told that this is because Novell represents 80% of the total PC networking environment, so Digital Research concentrated on that package first. I believe that this problem has been fixed in V5.0 DR-DOS takes longer to load at boot time Doing DEL *.* seems to take forever. This is because each file has to be checked for protection violation before deletion. When working down in a protected subdirectory, running a program which is in one of the PATH subdirectories makes you have to re-enter the password. The cure for that is to specify the path with the program name, or to use a global password. They are the bad points - now the good ones It takes less room (about 20K) than MS-DOS V3.31 and although it signs itself on as DR-DOS V3.41 at boot time, it identifies as DOS V3.31 with INT 21H/30h It handles partitions up to 512Mb It provides password protection of files to 3 levels (delete,write+delete or read+write+delete) and subdirectory protection. Passwords are appended to files or directories by using the format "filename;password" or may be prompted at the command line. There is no global protection right up to the root directory, but that has been included in the V5.0 release. I have not detected any other problems with running programs. The SID86 debugger is supplied. I consider this to be a much better low level debugger than DEBUG. It has PASS points which are ideal for debugging code which may branch or pass through a particular point many times. Sure, it is not a replacement for debuggers like CODEVIEW, but you don't need to be an expert in SID86 before you use it! Installation is a breeze - just follow the questions in the installation program. EDLIN is gone!!!!! A Word* non-document mode full screen type editor is provided with the package. etc., etc. ... There are 4 of us in our club running DR-DOS V3.41 and we are now awaiting the arrival of DR-DOS V5.0 - due in about 3 weeks here in OZ. V5.0 can put its OS up in extended/expanded RAM, giving a TPA of about 620K. It provides a shell a la MS-DOS V4 and gives root directory password protection as well. It also includes a file download program for transfers. Howie -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Howard Harvey | I work at the speed of light Aeronautical Research Laboratory | But so does a snail!