Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!usc!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!lll-winken!sun-barr!newstop!sun!imagen!atari!apratt
From: apratt@atari.UUCP (Allan Pratt)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: poolfix3
Message-ID: <2051@atari.UUCP>
Date: 24 Feb 90 02:10:49 GMT
References: <900218230844.275515@DMZRZU71-UNI-MAINZ--GERMANY> <2047@atari.UUCP> <1990Feb22.195715.1132@ultra.com>
Organization: Atari Corp., Sunnyvale CA
Lines: 45

jimh@ultra.com (Jim Hurley) writes:
>Actually, although I've heard a lot about this bug, I've never
>read a consistent description of the problem.

The TOS 1.4 release notes describe the problem completely and in loving
detail.  As a rule, YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW, which is why I don't spend
my days posting long explanations here.

What you DO need to know is this:

	1. If you have Mega TOS or Original TOS (1.2 or 1.0) and a hard
disk, you should use FOLDR100.PRG.  Without it, the system starts
screwing up when you've visited (or even just brushed by) 40 folders or
so.

	2. If you have Rainbow TOS or STe TOS (1.4 or 1.6),
		YOU DEFINITELY NEED POOLFIX3.PRG!

	(2a. STe TOS is just like Rainbow TOS in almost every respect;
it isn't an "enhancement" and you shouldn't wait for it to come out for
the ST.  It's just Rainbow TOS with modifications to make it run the STe.)

	3. If you have Rainbow TOS or STe TOS you MIGHT want to use
FOLDR100.PRG.  The management of the internal memory (which
FOLDR100.PRG adds to) is greatly improved, but you can still run out. 
It's no longer a question of how many folders you've "seen" but rather
of how many  folders and files are ACTIVE, which is to say, in use at
any one time.  Most people don't open a file 40 directories down in
their heirarchy, or two folders each 20 (different) levels down, or
whatever.

	4. If the system ever locks up and tells you to use
FOLDR100.PRG, then you probably should.

In short, POOLFIX3 actually fixes a bug which every Rainbow TOS user is
exposed to; FOLDR100.PRG adds memory to an internal pool.  That internal
pool is really badly managed in pre-Rainbow TOSes, and much much better
managed in Rainbow TOS (after you fix the bug by running POOLFIX3),
but in both cases you benefit by using FOLDR100.

============================================
Opinions expressed above do not necessarily	-- Allan Pratt, Atari Corp.
reflect those of Atari Corp. or anyone else.	  ...ames!atari!apratt

"This is an egg, this is a skillet, and THIS is breakfast.  Any questions?"