Message-Id: <m0wIAOl-000Fm6C@hn.planet.gen.nz>
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 97 21:56 NZST
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To: Matthias DOT Paul AT post DOT rwth-aachen DOT de
From: Lorier <lorier AT ihug DOT co DOT nz>
Subject: Re: Usage of directory entries
Cc: opendos-developer AT delorie DOT com
Precedence: bulk

At 08:20 PM 17/04/97 GMT+0100, Matthias Paul wrote:
>
>On Thu, 17 Apr 1997, Mark Habersack wrote:
>
>> > There is also some weird way that DBLSPACE/DRVSPACE have some weird scheme
>> > working as an installable filesystem, I don't really know how stacker does
>> > it (although I assume it's similar)
>> They use some tricks to inject their code into the system (remember the 
>> DRVSPACE.BIN file?) and work as a replacement for the FS/DEVICE FAT 
>> routines built into the kernel. Stacker probably uses the 
>> DRIVER.SYS approach (I'm not sure).
>
>STACKER (at least since 3.10+) also uses the so called pre-load API in 
>IBMBIO.COM (before execution of CONFIG.SYS).  This has been a major 
>law act at that time, when Stac sued Microsoft for using Stac patented
>algorithms in DBLSPACE without licensing them, and Microsoft was 
>forced to stop shipping MS-DOS 6.20 (including DBLSPACE) and replace 
>it by MS-DOS 6.21 (without DBLSPACE).  However, Microsoft had a longer 
>breath and sued Stac for de-assembling the undocumented pre-load API 
>in MS-DOS 6.20+ (needed to let STACKER install the same way as 
>DBLSPACE could).  Since Stac suffered from M$ pressure and was almost 
>running out of money, they made a deal with M$:  Stac was 'allowed' 
>to use the pre-load API (as also de-assembled by many other vendors 
>without being sued for), and M$ could ship DRVSPACE with MS-DOS 
>6.22...

Is it just me, but if MS have hooks in that there applications can use but
other peoples applications can not, then M'Soft are breaking a few laws are
they not? :)