From: mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 21:48:50 -0500 (EST) Reply-To: mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca To: "Colin W. Glenn" cc: jdashiel AT eagle1 DOT eaglenet DOT com, Jason White , opendos AT mail DOT tacoma DOT net Subject: Re: [opendos] Accessibility of OpenDOS with braille and speech output devices In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Organization: Total disorganization. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Sender: owner-opendos AT mail DOT tacoma DOT net Precedence: bulk On Sun, 2 Feb 1997, Colin W. Glenn wrote: > On Sun, 2 Feb 1997 jdashiel AT eagle1 DOT eaglenet DOT com wrote: > > If an environment variable say vidspeed or videospeed could be used > > > What concerns me with both possible approaches is which one > > has the highest cost in code size. > > How about doing a little twist like what many drivers do? After all, when > you think about it, command.com is a device driver, it's the user > interface driver. We should have the option to include a switch, say like > /fast, which loads a patch automatically over the section of code which > would normally call the bios. That would give a 'default' command.com > which will be speech syn.. friendly, and give those driven for speed an > outlet to let the pedal down. This would be unnecessarily complicated. COMMAND.COM is approx 60k 4DOS.COM is approx 160k COMMAND.COM uses 3k->40k of conventional memory. The part that isn't loaded into conventional is loaded into UMB's or transient. 4DOS uses 900bytes->3k of conventional memory. The part that isn't loaded into conventional is loaded into UMB's and either extended/expanded memory or swapped out to disk. The swapping is approx 140k. I started using 4DOS on a 386DX40 with 4 megs of ram. 4DOS used 140k of extended memory on this machine and it ran VERY fast, and without hindrance. In the rare occasions where I *NEEDED* that extra 140k of memory, I either rebooted into a different config that had 4DOS swapping to disk, and kept other XMS/EMS memory users to a minimum. *OR* I ran the 4DOS SWAPPING command and did it on the fly. I never had ANY problems with compatibility or speed problems, or memory problems. In fact, I also use 4DOS on my Tandy TL2/1000 (8Mhz 80286 with 640k memory *period* no EMS) and it runs without a hitch and FAST (faster than command.com anyway). Therefore, rather than making it overly complicated, a simple INI file will save the need for wasting environment space, and a swapping mechanism will allow command..com to grow in size without memory penalty. Also, I'm sure someone will port command.com to DJGPP and memory won't be a concern. This doesn't mean that the current 8088 compatible one will be tossed, but rather that there will be different choices for different people, and for an individuals needs. Mark my words. With source code, people will code what *THEY* want. EVERYONE will get high quality software. Mike A. Harris | http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris Computer Consultant | My webpage has moved and my address has changed. My dynamic address: http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris/ip-address.html mailto:mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca Question: Where can I get a good WYSIWYG HTML editor for Linux?