Date:	Mon, 27 Dec 1999 07:41:18 +0500 (MVT)
From:	Prashant TR <prashant_tr AT yahoo DOT com>
To:	kalum AT newmail DOT net
cc:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	Re: Why did ID choose DJGPP for Quake?
In-Reply-To:	<99122707284400.00497@yahoo>
Message-ID:	<Pine.LNX.4.10.9912270732480.597-100000@yahoo.com>
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Reply-To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
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> Could anyone please tell me the reason's why ID, who earlier used 
> Watcom/DOS4GW for  DOOM etc switched to DJGPP. I know that 
> DJGPP is better than Watcom but were there any other reason's 
> (like financial - no royalties etc, better DPMI support etc) for 
> making there choice. I ask this because there was an earlier thread 
> which said that nearptr was added at ID's request.

This is a bit off topic, but here's what I think could be the reason
(for the real reason, you'll have to ask id Software ;-)). DOS4GW
requires more real memory to run. I requires anywhere from 128K to 256K
which is quite bad. And DJGPP programs require just around 64K of memory
(that includes the DPMI). DJGPP programs run very reliably on the
WINDPMI as well and it can take as less as 2K (if you stubedit) of real
memory to run!! Naturally, DJGPP *is* better.

Secondly, there are some bugs in DOS4G. Eg: If you have a 16-bit program
like TC++ 3.0 and you shell out and try running DOS4G, it runs!, but
finally crashes the system. So, maybe these were _possibly_ some of the
reasons.

Prashant
---------------------------------------------------
One pound of learning requires ten pounds of common
sense to apply it.

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