Message-ID:	<37D5E630.660CC961@unb.ca>
From:	Endlisnis <s257m AT unb DOT ca>
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Newsgroups:	comp.os.msdos.djgpp,comp.os.msdos.programmer
Subject:	Re: WARNING: DOS is about to die.
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Date:	Wed, 08 Sep 1999 05:30:04 GMT
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To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
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Reply-To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com

Johan Venter wrote:

> > The only thing that is correct here is that the new Windows
> > will probably again become the most widely used OS in the
> > world, but that leaves everybody completely free to choose
> > any OS they want. There is nothing new here, it has also
> > happened with previous versions of Windows.
> Right, and why has Windows become the most popular operating system / GUI in
> the world? One word: marketing. If it hadn't been for Microsoft furiously
> plugging its products, we might see a lot more use of things like MacOS,
> OS/2 and Linux.

    I don't think it is really exclusively marketing.  It is that all new
machines come with Win9x preinstalled.  I've heard that Dell will preinstall
RedHat Linux now.  But things won't change until the day when most PC's come
with Linux preinstalled.

> And does anyone really believe Microsoft will not provide, at least at a
> basic level, some support for DOS? At the end of the day, Microsoft is
> nothing more than a coporate giant with a lot of money and a pretty GUI :-))

    I think that if paid, MS will provide support.  But, I also think they will
do everything in their power to remove DOS from their OS.  Especially if they
have to do a complete Kernel re-write (which they will for Win64)

> This is very true. Average John Doe knows absolutely nothing about
> computers, doesn't want to learn anything and needs Windows to get a basic
> understanding of how to point-and-click.

    While we're on this topic, I watched a CTV (a Canadian network) news report
which was talking about memory.  They had this to say:
1 bit = 1 character
1 byte = 8 characters (like an 8 character word)
1 kilobyte = 1000 bytes
1 megabyte = 1000000 bytes.

    I can't believe this made it to broadcast.  The man whom they interviewed
and who said that specific information owned a computer retail store.  If we are
buying computers from people who don't know what a byte is, it is no wonder that
so many people need a mouse to run a computer.

> If he were presented with a
> white-on-black terminal like back in the glory days of DOS, he would be
> forced to buy a good book and actually learn something! This is unacceptable
> in today's world, as people just want to get there work done faster without
> worrying about the details. I know people that only ever use the word
> processor (I'm sure you do to), who break out into cold sweats if you ask
> them to do anything besides double-click on the pretty icon with the big
> blue W :-)

    I knew someone who doesn't understand the idea of keyboard-shortcuts.  They
use the mouse for everything except literal typing.  The worst part of this, is
this person is a professional C programmer!  To copy/paste text, they will
select the text with the mouse, the click on "Edit" then "Copy".  The move the
cursor with the mouse, then click "Edit" then "Paste".  This person has been
working for years as a programmer, and is so slow with the mouse that it is
silly.

--
     (\/) Endlisnis (\/)
          s257m AT unb DOT ca
          Endlisnis AT HotMail DOT com
          ICQ: 32959047

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