Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!cs.yale.edu!favorini-francis From: favorini-francis@cs.yale.edu (Francis Favorini) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: give me solid facts: why is the mac better than MeSsy DOS/WINDOWS Message-ID: <29391@cs.yale.edu> Date: 9 Mar 91 22:27:23 GMT References: <4196@gmdzi.gmd.de> <29227@cs.yale.edu> <1991Mar9.023444.17526@amd.com> Sender: news@cs.yale.edu Organization: Yale University Computer Science Dept., New Haven, CT 06520-2158 Lines: 81 Nntp-Posting-Host: zoo-gw.cs.yale.edu Originator: favorini@suned.CS.Yale.Edu In article <1991Mar9.023444.17526@amd.com> phil@brahms.amd.com (Phil Ngai) writes: >favorini-francis@cs.yale.edu (Francis Favorini) writes: >>My point is that the fundamental problem with MS-DOS/Windows systems is that >>most people using Windows also want to use DOS programs. Switching back >>and forth is a hassle, despite the DOS box in Windows, which very often >>doesn't allow you to use a DOS program to the fullest, if at all. Why do >>people want to use DOS programs? Because plenty of useful programs are not >>available in Windows versions. And I'm not talking about old programs, >>but current stuff put out by MAJOR companies. (E.g. Paradox by Borland) > >You're just whining about a very temporary problem. I believe there are >more copies of Win3 sold than there are Macs now. Many Mac sw houses >are porting to Win3. Nearly all the DOS people are porting to Win3. In >a year or so, there will be very few DOS apps that you can't get in a >Windows version. I'm not whining about a very temporary problem. Would you buy a car if your wife couldn't ride in it for at least a year? I think it will be longer than a year, anyway. Win 3.1 might not even be out this year, and when will DOS 5.0 be here? >This kind of complaint doesn't really provide any information which is >of lasting value. There have been compatibility problems with Windows since it came out. They have gotten better, but have not gone away. They will not be gone for at least a year, probably more like two or three. Time will tell. The point is that they're here now, and if you have work to do now, you have to live with them. I can't tell my boss that I will give him something he wants on Friday next year when Windows and DOS are better friends. >Frankly, I also don't understand why you find switching back and forth >so difficult. I have done it. It just takes an ALT-TAB. Easy. I'm not talking about context switches in Windows. I'm talking about exiting Windows in order to run programs that Windows can't deal with, and then running Windows again to use Windows apps. This is inferior to working on a Mac and just staying in Multifinder. >>Now you might say there are several databases/word processors/speadsheets >>available. But if the one I've been using for the past three years isn't >>among them it doesn't do me a whole lot of good. I have too much time >>and effort invested in XYZ program to convert over easily. I am not > >Well, I can see why you, as a Lotus 123 user, so much prefer the Mac >over the PC then. You seem like a very confused fellow. I DO NOT use Lotus 123. It is mostly garbage. When I say XYZ program, I mean any DOS program which doesn't work well with Windows. And there are plenty. >>Conceptually, two programs might work, if they cooperate well. I don't think >>Program and File Manager do. > >Another short lived complaint. MS will address this problem. Your information >has a lifetime of about 6 months. I already mentioned MS was addressing this at least twice. I doubt Win 3.1 will be ready in 6 months, however. Maybe 10 months. >>Apple has been more succesful at maintaining a smooth transition to new >>versions of their system software than Microsoft has. (Granted Microsoft > >Let's see, the IBM PC came out in 1980 and the Mac came out when? 1984. So IBM and Microsoft have had longer to screw things up. >>Here again, I have to say that PC users suffer from the fact that DOS and >>Windows beat each other up sometimes. > >What's this I hear about clean 32-bit code on the Mac? Well, there's >no dirty Mac sw like there is PC sw, is there? I didn't say the Mac is perfect, but it remains to be seen how bad the problems are. -- ______________________________________________________________________________ Francis Favorini favorini@cs.yale.edu favorini@yalecs.bitnet ...!yale!favorini