Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!gatech!mcnc!decvax!mandrill!neoucom!wtm
From: wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Resident Scatologist)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Microsoft Windows and MS support?
Summary: But... There is somehting better  (GEM 3.0)
Message-ID: <1060@neoucom.UUCP>
Date: 27 Mar 88 02:51:06 GMT
References: <496@xios.XIOS.UUCP> <1975@optilink.UUCP>
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Lines: 43

In article <1975@optilink.UUCP>, cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) writes:
+ 
+ My attitude about Microsoft software is about the same as my attitude
+ about anti-perspirants -- I would prefer a better solution, but there
+ isn't one available, so I guess I will have to stick to something inelegant
+ and smelly.



I just received my copy of GEM 3.0 with First Word Plus and Paint.
At the same time I picked up GEM Draw.  Both products are very
reasonably priced via mail order.

GEM is a very nice graphic environment compared to to Windows.  At
least, in GEM, things finish the same hour your start them, unlike
pokey Windows.

I heartily recommend both Draw and Paint.  First Word Plus isn't
really what I'd consider a real word processor, but it is much
better than than Write in Windows.

Digital Reasearch also unlike Microsoft answers their phone, if not
with alacrity.  I logged a call last Wednesday (had to leave a
message on an answering machine) and got a call back Thursday
afternoon from an uncharacteristicly pleasant and helpful person at
D-R.  I was impressed.  My experinces with Microsoft have been
interminable waits on hold and when I finally get a person, the
answer has been to the effect "What? you don't have a REAL IBM PC?
Well tough sh*t!  Goodbye."

D-R has managed to program GEM to be quick and play by the rules
with the EGA card.  I use an AT&T 6300 in which I have installed an
STB Multires II EGA board.  It works fine with GEM.  Windows sends
the screen into a black oblivion, requiring a cold reboot.

The GEM developer's kit is also relatively afforable.  I don't have
it, but I've seen it advertised for about $350.  I don't know if
you get any special support as a developer.

I don't get any financial reward for saying I like GEM.  I just
like it; your milage may vary according to driving conditions.

--Bill