MS-DOS software under sysV R4 : Question

[Wm E. Davidsen Jr]

In article <1991Feb12.020627.14761 at thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu> jean at lightning.McRCIM.McGill.EDU (Pierre Racz) writes:
| I am planing on (finally) moving from DOS to UNIX but I own a lot of DOS
| software that I would rather not leave behind (mostly CAD stuff).  The 386 
| architecture should make it possible to be able to run DOS applications 
| under UNIX.  But how well is this supported ?  How well does it work
| for graphic software ?  What kind of surprises am I in for ?

  *most* graphic stuff works fine, if it sets the video mode from
hardware, or uses standard (IBM supported) video modes. The video BIOS
used with most DOS under UNIX setups is only capable of handling the
standard modes, although you are allowed to go directly to the registers
to set other modes. The problem comes when you are running stuff on a
fancy video board, and setting the modes with the BIOS.

| Based on Wade Guthrie's "Chosing a 386 UNIX", and having placed inquiries
| with 386 UNIX vendors, I am leaning towards the DELL sysV R4 since
| it does not seem too overpriced for the features it offers 
| (Unlike XENIX).  

  I have one of each here, and consider them both to be worth the money.
The Xenix is well understood, supported by nearly every hardware vendor
on earth, nice and solid, and small. The Dell is big, complex, exciting,
and there are not a huge number of people around who have a lot of
experience. It, too, is solid.

  If you ask a Xenix question on the net you will find a hundred people
who know the answer, and probably 3-4 will answer (all 100 if it's a
dumb question). If you ask a V.4 question you won't find 100 people who
understand the question in some cases, so you struggle with it a bit more.
-- 
bill davidsen - davidsen at sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen)
    sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX
    moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me