Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!psuvax1!news From: melling@cs.psu.edu (Michael D Mellinger) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc Subject: Re: Where is the long awaited MS DOS 5.0 ? Message-ID: Date: 14 Dec 90 00:36:59 GMT References: <8550@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM> Sender: news@cs.psu.edu (Usenet) Organization: Penn State Computer Science Lines: 48 In-Reply-To: ghenniga@nmsu.edu's message of 13 Dec 90 07:54:40 GMT Nntp-Posting-Host: client5.cs.psu.edu In article ghenniga@nmsu.edu (Gary Hennigan) writes: I don't know who the heck said DOS is superior to UNIX. Considering the operating system only there's no comparison, UNIX is far superior; but, as one of the people waiting for MSDOS 5.0, there's much more to consider than just the OS: 1. The number of applications available for DOS is overwhelming, a lot of which are Freeware and/or Shareware! How much of this software is worth anything? A lot of the best stuff like 4DOS is to help you overcome the serious limitations of DOS. Personally, I'm tired of 64K segments, no memory protection, and playing games in 640K. There is beaucoup Unix software out there too. People should really take another look at Unix. Especially since the new NeXT machines have hit the market. 2. The ease with which a non-experienced user can learn DOS far outpaces the same user attempting to learn the sometimes cryptic UNIX. ls dir cat type mkdir mkdir rm del cp copy, xcopy How much Unix does a user have to learn to get by on Unix? NeXTStep makes it even easier. Most people where I work won't even touch the CLI. NeXTStep lets you perorm these commands from a menu or graphically. 3. And last but by no means least, from Computer Shopper (October): SCO Xenix 386 -- $469 Drum roll please.......... MSDOS 4.01 ---- $109 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is it worth the almost $400 price difference? You be the judge. By and large I prefer VMS anyway! 68040 NeXTStation: $4995( $3250 edu.) These machines are at least as fast as the 486 machines available, plus you have a DSP, DMA and Unix. I'm not saying Unix is the prettiest OS but it's here today and it works. -Mike