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From: ekrimen@ecst.csuchico.edu (Ed Krimen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: New TOS versions
Message-ID: <1991May02.234455.10152@ecst.csuchico.edu>
Date: 2 May 91 23:44:55 GMT
References: <672747111.0@egsgate.FidoNet.Org> <3092@krafla.rhi.hi.is>
Sender: news@ecst.csuchico.edu (USENET)
Organization: California State University, Chico
Lines: 42

In article <3092@krafla.rhi.hi.is> adamd@rhi.hi.is (Adam David) writes:
>In <672747111.0@egsgate.FidoNet.Org> Shervin.Shahrebani.Of.250/744@f744.n250.z1.FidoNet.Org (Shervin Shahrebani Of 250/744) writes:
>
>>You don't need Pinhead if you have TOS 1.4 and above.  I have a Mega STE and
>>have experienced the problem as well but Pinhead is nothing compared to the
>>TOS's built in fast load.  Why bother when TOS has it already?  I know
>>pinhead may be compatible with a few more packages but there is nothing to
>>it.
>
>Doesn't Pinhead simply compress executables into a self-extracting form that
>takes less disk space and therefore less time to load?

No, that's DC Squish, or any similar packer.

>Is this what TOS 1.4 fastload does, or is there any benefit in using both
>methods?

The fastload bit doesn't let the ST clear the remaining memory before it
loads a program.  Pinhead does the same; actually, I've heard that Pinhead
is actually faster than the fastload bit setting.  I tried it on a 2 meg
machine and the difference was one second.  I run Pinhead and have my
programs with the fastload bit set on my 4meg machine.

>The time to load an application program is perhaps not a very significant
>factor if the program is just to be loaded in and much time then spent working
>in the program. On the other hand major savings in disk space matter quite a
>lot to most users - from single floppy machines up to Gigabyte hard disks.
>The shorter load time is just a useful side effect of the data compression and
>is paid for by the time taken to compress the files (also the extra CPU load
>during uncompression in a multiprogramming environment). 
>

If you've never used Pinhead or set the fastload bit on a TOS1.4 and up machine,
then you should really check it out.  There is a great speed difference
when loading programs, even on a one meg machine; the difference can be 
seen especially when loading a lot of AUTO folder programs.


-- 
   |||   Ed Krimen [ekrimen@ecst.csuchico.edu or al661@cleveland.freenet.edu]
   |||   Video Production Major, California State University, Chico
  / | \  SysOp, Fuji BBS: 916-894-1261