[SD-User] Re: DOS versions discontinued

[Martin Davies G0HDB]

On 19 Apr 2004 at 17:14, Paul EI5DI wrote:

> Yes, it is sad but, from my selfish point of view, I simply
> don't have the time to update and maintain two separate sets
> of programs.

All fully understood, Paul.  As others have already said you've done well to 
keep the two variants going this far!
 
> So, one or the other has to go. Is anyone really suggesting
> that I should continue to update the DOS programs at the expense
> of the Windows versions?
 
> The sad truth is that SD/DOS does not run (at all) on most
> XP laptops due to expanded memory hardware conflicts, and
> none of the DOS programs can offer parallel keying on any
> XP machine.

Again all understood - it sort of exposes the shortcomings of Windows for 
relatively simple real-time applications, doesn't it??!!

My main disappointment, and possibly that of others, is that in order to take 
advantage of the ongoing evolution of SD I'll have to change from an 
efficient, easily-managed, robust, purely keyboard-based DOS environment 
using simple key combinations to task-switch between several programs 
running in parallel to using Windows with its 'user-friendly' mouse-based GUI.

I will probably have to upgrade my 'radio' PC (a 100MHz 5x86 with 64M RAM 
running DRDOS 7.03 with usually 4 different apps running semi- 
concurrently) to make it capable of running Windows tolerably well; the 
system will almost inevitably become more prone to untimely crashes (GPFs 
etc) and less capable of recovering from such events speedily and with 
minimal data loss.  My DRDOS-based system has currently been 'up' for 
many weeks without a hiccup; I doubt it'll be as stable when running 
Windows.

In my professional experience a Windows-type GUI is more of a hindrance 
than a help in 'operational' environments - users (me included!) seem to 
much prefer to navigate between fields and screens using key combinations 
to using a mouse.  A quick 'Ctrl-Tab' or whatever is a lot more efficient than 
trying to position the cursor into the field with the mouse and then left-
clicking.

I guess I'm just bemoaning the widespread and ever-increasing use of 
Windows in all sorts of environments it's not well-suited to, and the need for 
developers of software to fall in line and work around its shortcomings rather 
than being able to design and build their software for a more appropriate 
operating environment (eg the recently released DRDOS 8).  Such is 
progress....!!

> SD/DOS has been updated to V10.15 (it's freeware) and can
> be downloaded from www.ei5di.com/sd/sddos.zip - I forgot to
> add the link on the website, but I'll do it later this
> evening.

Many thanks for that; I'll probably stay with SD/DOS for a while longer.

--
73, Martin G0HDB