Message-Id:	<199705150225.WAA13008@mail.storm.ca>
Comments:	Authenticated sender is <yan AT mail DOT storm DOT ca>
From:	"Yves Bellefeuille" <an448 AT freenet DOT carleton DOT ca>
To:	opendos AT delorie DOT com
Date:	Wed, 14 May 1997 22:25:32 -0400
MIME-Version:	1.0
Subject:	Re: OpenDOS graphics drivers
Reply-to:	an448 AT freenet DOT carleton DOT ca
In-reply-to:	<199705150046.KAA23687@solwarra.gbrmpa.gov.au>
References:	<Pine DOT LNX DOT 3 DOT 95 DOT 970514130343 DOT 17340A-100000 AT 55-174 DOT hy DOT cgocable DOT ca> from "Pierre Phaneuf" at May 14, 97 02:04:12 pm

> Ok, first off, if 32 bit isn't that much of an increase, why aren't we
> all still using 16 bit? :)  I just don't think there is any argument
> between the advantages/speed etc of 32bit and 16 bit... 

It's a myth that 32-bit operating systems or programs are "twice the
speed" of 16-bit programs. There's usually a slight increase, but it's
not all that big. The real difference is when the data handled by the
program is itself larger than 16 bits, for example if a program
handles numbers over 65 536 (or, usually, 32 768). A 32-bit version of
a program like PGP is *much* faster than a 16-bit version, because of
the numbers it handles. That's the exception, though.

We're all still using 16-bit programs and systems, except those of us
using Linux, Windows NT and OS/2.

--
Yves Bellefeuille  See homepage for best freeware for DOS and Win 3.1x
Ottawa, Canada              Finger, homepage or key-server for PGP key
an448 AT freenet DOT carleton DOT ca               Francais / English / Esperanto
http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~an448/

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