Path: utzoo!yunexus!stpl!yugas!julius
From: julius@yugas.UUCP (Julius OKLAMCAK)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: TOS 1.4 vs NEODESK and UIS-II
Message-ID: <815@yugas.UUCP>
Date: 13 Mar 89 17:18:27 GMT
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Reply-To: julius@yugas.UUCP ()
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Organization: C.R.E.S.S., York University, North York, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3.
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In article <8903100344.AA03075@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, 01659@AECLCR.BITNET (Greg Csullog) writes:

>I have read a mess of specs on TOS 1.4. I also own NeoDesk 2.0 and the UIS-II.
>Personally, with NeoDesk and the UIS I cannot see any reason to buy TOS 1.4.
>Can someone give me an honest opinion on what advantages 1.4 would provide?
>
>FOLDXXX.PRG fixes the folder limit

FOLDRXXX.PRG only *raises* the limit on TOS previous to 1.4 (with a cost
of RAM).  TOS 1.4 actually fixes the problem.

>DISKFREE.PRG speeds up the slow FAT access

Is a hack (with a bug) that only speeds up the GEMDOS Dfree() function.

>STARTGEM.PRG allows GEM codes to autoexecute

Is also a hack - that uses undocumented features (the worst programming sin! :-)

>STARTUP.PRG allows system reconfig on boot (my start up screen says:
>            M=Mac       I=IBM        A=Atari
>            to run Spectre, PC_Ditto, GEM

Very handy!

> [...parts deleted...]

>Why, pray tell, would I want TOS 1.4; my Mega 2 with a Megafile 20 blows away
> [...]
>What will I miss out on if I do not get TOS 1.4? Anything?

Bug fixes and many other enhancements that AUTO folder and applications
programs can't hope to add to TOS.  It sounds like you have read a
magazine article or two that only skims the surface of what was done to
TOS to create version 1.4

Some nice features:

CACHEXXX.PRG can be used to increase TOS 1.4's internal buffers - this means
that FATs and directories stay in RAM.  Dfree(), FAT searchs, directory
searchs can now happen in RAM.  Much speed increase here.

The File Selector can now be passed a string, such as "Load
configuration file" no more tacky boxes sitting above, below, or beside
the Item Selector.

Move file(s) from Desktop with display of destination folder/file name.  File
copying with time & date stamp retention.  The ability to rename folders.

Format/Copy disk condensed into one dialog, with disks formatted being
MessyDOS compatible.

...and much more...

Best off all, it dosen't use up any RAM.  :-)
-- 
Julius Oklamcak					All views are my own.
Atari (Canada) Corp.				Just say NO! to the abuse and
...!uunet!nexus!yugas!julius			destruction of the environment.