Date: Fri, 19 Sep 1997 08:45:43 -0400
From: Mike Vince <MVince AT compuserve DOT com>
Subject: V7.02
To: "(unknown)" <opendos AT delorie DOT com>
Message-ID: <199709190845_MC2-2101-AF64@compuserve.com>
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Hi.  I'm new to this list and now the "where's the source" has died down I
thought as a user of DOS, I would make some observations.  I have a network
of 5 PCs all running OPENDOS with various processors, NEXGEN 586, AMD 586,
CYRIX 386 to 486 upgrade, and CYRIX 686s.

I tried V7.02 a few days ago and had problems with QEMM 8 not loading. 
With V7.01 QEMM was ok but always failed the optimize routine.

I have now done a clean install of V7.02 having just installed W95 for the
first time.  Dual booting works fine.  I failed to get W95 to talk to my
V7.01 personal netware server.  I had believed M$ propaganda that W95
replaced DOS.  Lies.  I cleared the autoexec file and it now calls
startnet.bat.  On loading W95 stops, goes to MSDOS7 lets me login OPENDOS
V7.02 netware, and then completes boot.

The next step is to replace MSDOS7 with OPENDOS7.  Anyone tried?

I have problems with copy.  I have a Win3 application that drops into DOS
and does copy *.txt c:\lpt1: for printing (why c:\ ?).  This works with
M$DOS but not OPENDOS, either version.  It works OK from DOS but not from a
W3 DOS prompt.  V7.01 complains that source and destination are the same
and V7.02 compains about an invalid directory.

Where is copy?  Is it in command.com?  I tried loading NDOS and M$DOS6.0
command.com and the problem was still there although there is no problem
with 6.0 as the native OS.  That suggests the problem is in the system
files doesn't it?

On my PC CYRIX 686 P200 with AMI bios and  VX motherboard, copy to a com
port blows the system. QEMM 8 and now EMM386 report invalid instruction
error.  Is this likely to be a DOS fault, bios error or what?

Finally I'm following the discussions of OS setups regarding LINUX etc with
interest.  The simple question is in Bill's bright new world  where one
can't avoid an application written for W95 (at least I can't, CAD and other
apps are coming out W95 only and you either upgrade or loose tech support)
can one actually dump M$ and move to LINUX?

BFN.  Mike Vince