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From: sergio@ingres.com (Sergio L. Aponte)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc
Subject: Some questions about drivers : video and printing
Message-ID: <1991Jan3.230016.3106@ingres.Ingres.COM>
Date: 3 Jan 91 23:00:15 GMT
Reply-To: sergio@squid.Ingres.COM (Sergio L. Aponte)
Organization: Ask Computer Systems Inc., Ingres Division, Alameda CA 94501
Lines: 37


	Just got a PC for home, so I am going thru the ussual install and
	configure rutine. I've done this before, but now I want to ask.

	Environment : 386/33 clone with 4Mb RAM, and "Super VGA"
		      card and video, capable of 1024x768... DOS 4.01

	I know must software come with drivers. The video card also came
	with a flopy with drivers for Lotus, Windows, Gem, etc.. But...

	1) My VGA card is almost (never) listed as an available driver since
	I have a TCI brand card. If the software I buy does not have driver
	for it (and most dont), and the flopy does not include one, what are
	my options? Can Joe "home" programer put this things toghether?

	2) Why are this drivers "unique". If I write a driver for device X, how
	come different software need different drivers? Am I wrong to think
	drivers should go with a particular piece of hardware, not with
	a particular piece of software?

	3) Same case with the printer. If my printer is not listed, I go thru
	some of the similar capability ones to see if one works. Being a very
	simple, 9 pin Citizen MSP-10, I get it working 98% of the time.

	I guess I know the answer to some of this. Different software has
	different drivers because they read different formats in the file,
	right? Is there a software out there that can examine my device,
	or ask me about it, and generate drivers for DOS? And would it be
	too much to ask to have DOS manage the drivers, standard drivers,
	and have software packages ask DOS to manage the hardware?

					Tired of installs and configures...
--
===============================================================   _|||_
Sergio L. Aponte, MTS @ ASK Computer, Ingres Product Division     <*,*>
Internet : sergio@puffin.ingres.com                               [`-']  Keko
UUCP     : {sun,mtxinu,pyramid,pacbell}!ingres!puffin!sergio      _"_"_  Jones