In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> you write:
> I have many uses for a realiable task switcher, with even modest
> capabilities. A major example is the ability to swap an internet
> application such as CUTCP telnet to disk or XMS memory so I can
> go to dos and have enough conventional memory to, for instance,
> read a file or grab some text.
I agree. Apart from network (LAN and internet) activity I don't have
much use for multitasking (when I managed a several thousand strong LAN
and audited the workstation activity nor did the vast majority of those
users either), but I can't imagine using any computer without task
switching.
> The most simple one I know is Shroom, which will swap a current
> application to disk, if that application already contains a
> key or menu that shells to dos. However, shroom itself can not
> be loaded high, or it does not work. It seems to have trouble
> with certain applications (e.g., PC Pine). And it is formally
> shareware but I dont know if the author is findable. (Its
> files list only a regular mail address from years ago. Anyone
> know where Davis Augustine is now?)
Hmmm, a non-starter for me then.
A task switcher has to load outside conventional memory, switch tasks to
memory and be able to cancel running tasks.
> Than there is fastflip which provides much more functionality,
> and can be loaded high, and does not require each application to
> already have a shell out method. But I have been told it is
> unstable.
Not my experience. When I used PCDOS this was my switcher of choice. It
can't cancel a running task though, which is a bit sad, and I don't
think it's still supported.
> I know DR. DOS included a task switcher, but I do not know if
> it can be used as a standalone program, or if it is integrated and
> inseparable from Dr. DOS. When I recently looked at Lineo, it appeared
> they only sell Dr. DOS 7.03 as a commercial application for things
> like embedded devices. It was not clear of single users are even
> welcome anymore.
I think not. You'd certainly need the DR EMM386 and quite possibly all
of it. I moved over to it with v6 and haven't regretted it at all, but
it does have a few odd quirks and it does appear to be moribund now as
Caldera/Lineo concentrate on the embedded market. I think it's still
available free from their FTP site (along with Novell's LAN Workplace
for DOS if that's of interest).
> Any opinions out there concerning the previous or other Dos task
> switchers that are reliable? Off hand one would think the problem
> is not hard: save the current vectors, etc. put the current application
> on disk, XMS, etc. and load the next one. Apparently it is not so
> easy to do this.
The one in PCTools is pretty good - loads high, swaps to memory and it
can cancel running tasks. Probably only available secondhand or as
warez.
The WordPerfect switcher is now available free, loads high and swaps to
memory, but I don't think it can chop a task. Very fast and clean,
though the interface is a bit over the top. I've no idea what the URL
is, but a search should turn it up.
In the overkill stakes are DRDOS, Desqview and OS/2. These all have
fairly serious learning curves.
DRDOS is my choice so I suppose that it's my recommendation. It also
multitasks, but I'm not over impressed with that. Although it's supposed
to be compatible with MSDOS it's not completely so. The basic DOS bit is
pretty good, but the addons/utils go their own way, somewhat. I think
that overall DRDOS is an advance on MSDOS, but it has to be accepted
that not everything which works OK on MSDOS will inevitably work OK on
DRDOS.
DV's strength is multitasking, but it task switches as well. It's
apparently "abandonware", but you'd also need QEMM and I don't think
that's been let go of. If you've already got QEMM, then DV isn't a bad
option.
OS/2 does a damned good clone of PCDOS 5 and it's DOS task switching and
multitasking are in a different league to everything else. Not a trivial
migration though.
Alex.
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