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From: troy@mr_plod.cbme.unsw.oz.au (Troy Rollo)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: 256 colors in Windows 3.0
Message-ID: <818@usage.csd.unsw.oz.au>
Date: 25 Aug 90 15:18:20 GMT
References: <9115@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
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Reply-To: troy@mr_plod.cbme.unsw.oz.au
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From article <9115@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>, by larned@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (Paul Larned):
larned> Unless I misunderstand your description, I believe it is not possible to
larned> see 256 simultaneous colors with a VGA board having only 256K of video RAM.
larned> You will need to upgrade to 512K.

A VGA board which couldn't display 256 colours would be somewhat disturbing!
All VGA boards have a minimum of 256K (otherwise it's only an expensive
enhanced EGA), and can operate in 320x200x256 (which is supported by the BIOS),
as well as 320x400x256 and 360x480x256 (neither of which are supported in BIOS.


While I'm here, I will make additional comments since my last comments on
Windows 3.0. I have had a chance to look at it since then, and there are a
couple of comments I could make, however, my primary complaint is what can
only be described as inadequate support for expanded memory. There are
countless expanded memory cards in use around the world, and Microsoft has
no excuse for not exploiting the 286 and beyond virtual memory facilities to
make these boards available as blocks of ordinary memory in 286 and 386
mode. Marking segments contained in those blocks as not being in memory would
allow them to be switched in as needed. Additionally, marking of any segments
not on expansions cards, but conflicting with the cards, as not being in
memory, would prevent conflicts with any cards not designed for the 286. In my
view, the lack of this facility is inexcusable. Additionally, I would have
expected a full virtual memory implementation for the 286 in windows 3.0. It
may slow things down a little, but if the end user specifies 0K virtual memory,
it becomes optional, and it could have been implemented with a relatively
small effort.

My assessment on Windows is: let's see 3.1 before deciding.
___________________________________________________________
troy@mr_plod.cbme.unsw.oz.au	Make our greenies useful!
The Resident Fascist		Put them in the army!