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From: Andreas.Kaiser@ananke.stgt.sub.org (Andreas Kaiser)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: OS/2, DOS Apps and misc.
Message-ID: <678091972.0@ananke.stgt.sub>
Date: 27 Jun 91 10:30:34 GMT
Sender: UUCP@ananke.stgt.sub.org
Lines: 35


 >year. I've never used OS/2 but I am tired of not being able to run some of 
 >my FORTRAN programs in 640k and would like to take full advantage of my 386. 
 >On to the questions:

With OS/2 1.x you will *not* take full advantage of you 386. If you need a full

blown 386 *now*, you have to use UNIX or a DOS-extender.

 >	1) I have the recommended minimum amount of memory for OS/2, 
 >4MB, and was wondering how badly I will suffer with this constraint?

OS/2 1.3 will run in 4MB but there will be a lot of swapping and only little 
space for HPFS with acceptable disk caching or for a RAM-disk. If you want to 
use other tasks while compiling or running large programs, you should buy at 
least another 2MB.

 >	2) What are the limitations on running DOS apps in an OS/2 DOS
 >box? I understand that v1.3 has some problems with it's DOS box 

Not enough memory for DOS applications - 450K left. The OS/2 kernel seems to 
reside in DOS memory and so do most device drivers.

Direct device access other than video or COMx can make trouble. You cannot write

to disk device (but this is not a bug but a security feature). You cannot use 
DOS device drivers for devices being used by OS/2.

                Gruss, Andreas



 

 * Origin: kaiser@ananke.stgt.sub.org - Stuttgart FRG (2:244/7014)