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From: ralf@b.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Ralf Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: MS Windows 2.x and 286 - what's the
Message-ID: <3494@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: 5 Nov 88 16:59:16 GMT
References: <386@fauern.UUCP> <45900172@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu>
Sender: netnews@pt.cs.cmu.edu
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 20

In article <45900172@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu> mcdonald@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu writes:
}DOS things that completely bring Window to its knees - for example,
}try doing this simple thing in a 386 command window:
}     copy /b filename prn:
}
}which is the only way to get most files to my HP LasetJet. The system
}completely hangs until the print job is finished. DOS print
}doesn't work printing these files. 

The same thing happens with DESQview.  The problem is DOS's non-reentrancy.
Since DOS can't be reentered, task switching is disabled while DOS is active.
Unfortunately, COPY X PRN and TYPE X >PRN both write 64K at a time to the
printer, so DOS is active with a single call during the entire time that the
printer is printing that 64K chunk of the file.  Doesn't exactly promote
task switching....
-- 
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