Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 17:41:46 +1200
From: physmsa AT cantua DOT canterbury DOT ac DOT nz (Mr M S Aitchison)
Subject: Re: Suggestions for DR-DOS
To: opendos AT delorie DOT com
Message-id: <199809240541.RAA23160@cantua.canterbury.ac.nz>
Precedence: bulk


Great list of suggestions!

Charles Dye already commented on the version number issue. Also: you can use SETVER.

>  Include in each new release a file called WHATSNEW.TXT ...
Do you mean like HISTORY.TXT? I'd like easier access to a list of known
bugs (yes, it isn't always in a company's interests to make such
information public, but I'd really appreciate it!)

>  the SERIAL command...
The FreeDOS label command displays it, as does my FILES program
(http://www.phys.canterbury.ac.nz/~physmsa/mysoftware/FILES.EXE), my
program uses the 21/69 call. DRDOS used to give all diskettes the
serial number 7000 or something like that.  It should really be an
option in the LABEL and FORMAT and DISKCOPY commands.  I must admit
I've never met anyone who actually needed it.

> Support for Windows 9x VFAT...
I agree with Charles about VFAT LFN being terrible.  If it is needed it
would be best to have a disk(ette) driver that autodetects various disk
formats and loads modules accordingly. It could even use system
overlays to reduce RAM. The mtools project has a lot of formats
supported - including "big~ diskette formats like 2m you mentioned.
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to use them!  A decent diskette type
check could also spot BSI viruses too, like SCANBOOT does.

> Multiple configuration files (CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT)
Well, although DRDOS already does some neat things with and in
(D)CONFIG.SYS, I'd like to to also be able to use MS arrangements too.

> DIR command should have the "standard" options ... /S ...
I'd like that, but as an *option*.

> NTFS...
That's one option I'd like to have, but it certainly isn't the most appropriate
for most DOS setups - designed for peopel with lots of RAM and disk space. I
really *must* get my ALFS going!

Mark.