Date:	Tue, 14 Jan 1997 11:29:51 -0800 (PST)
From:	Gene Buckle <geneb AT web DOT wa DOT net>
To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	OpenDOS to be released next week!
Message-ID:	<Pine.LNX.3.93.970114110732.16635C-100000@web.wa.net>
MIME-Version:	1.0

First of all, I'd like to make it clear to the list members that I'm NOT
an employee of Caldera.  I'm just an evangelist of OpenDOS. *grin*
If you feel the need to flame me for this announcement, please don't cc
copies to the list.

Caldera will be releasing OpenDOS 7.01 next week.  This will be a binary
only distribution, but the sources should be following as soon as they get
the source tree cleaned up (ie extracted out of the esoteric version
control system that Novell used).

OpenDOS is free for non-commerical use.  This licensing policy will be the
same once the source code is released.

It is my understanding that Caldera is going to have the same attitude
about the OpenDOS sources as they have for their work with Linux.  One of
the things that is being worked on right now is a TCP/IP stack for
OpenDOS.  It is based upon the WatTCP code and will of course be released
back to the Internet community in source form when it's complete.

This means that instead of fighting with WSOCK.VXD to write DOS based
TCP/IP apps under Win95, it can be done under OpenDOS using a reliable
API!

OpenDOS also has some of the best memory management I've seen.  When you
load something high under OpenDOS, it _really_ goes high.  As in *above*
the one meg mark.  Having a 630k TPA is a realistic expectation.  (I've
managed to get 719k, but that involves using graphics memory to increase
the TPA)

EMM386 contains a pre-emptive multitasker that allows multiple threads
within applications.  This means that DJ's port of Lynx can have it's full
Unix functionality back as well as the possibility of taking NCSA Mosaic,
DJGPP and XlibEMU for a true dos based graphical browser with the same
multi-threading ability it has under Unix.

Caldera feels that the Internet developer community has a lot to offer,
and they're looking forward to developing a good relationship with DOS
developers, especially the DJGPP crowd.  

The possibilties are enormous and I hope that you folks will grab OpenDOS
as soon as it hits the streets.

Please direct questions and or flames<g> to geneb AT web DOT wa DOT net


---
Gene Buckle, Systems Administrator (BOFH!)
Washington Internet Services
206.926.2552
geneb AT wa DOT net

- Raw text -