Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 22:57:54 -0800 (PST)
From: Steven Hurdle <ya830 AT victoria DOT tc DOT ca>
X-Sender: ya830 AT vtn1
To: opendos AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: Where is everybody?
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.981114152916.536A-100000@brick.flying-brick.caverock.net.nz>
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Reply-To: opendos AT delorie DOT com

On Sat, 14 Nov 1998, Eric Gillespie wrote:

|I could shift entirely over to Linux and Unix-derived software.
[...]
|- the disadvantage being I would have to find and download it all

...or spend a couple of bucks on a CD-ROM Linux installation complete with
almost everything ever written for it (often these come in 6+ CD sets).

|- it would (generally) be incompatible with Windows programs.

   WABI will run a very large percentage of Windows software, though you
technically need to pay for a copy of Win9x for it.  I didn't say it was a
cheaper solution, but it is a solution.  :) 

|I shell out the cash to support a commercial enterprise (MS, IBM, Caldera)
|==========================================================================
|: Microsoft (they don't do _everything_ wrong, ya know...) or IBM
|+ I then retain compatability with the majority of off-the-shelf
[...]
|+ I get to use what is getting to be a standard in user interfaces
|  and it's not the worst interface I have come across...it is a lot
|  better than what Win3.1 has with regard to hardware selection

   This interface is available for a lot of different systems now.
X-Windows and the forthcoming 3.0 version of New Deal Office both have
Win9x-style user interfaces.

|: DR-DOS (From Caldera) if they ever release another version
|------------------------------------------------------------
|+ I get more stability and memory available than MS-DOS
|
|+ I get more features (TASKMGR) than MS-DOS

   The additional features are a major issue for me, especially
TaskManager.  I need it for New Deal Office which is designed to integrate
with it.

|+ Caldera, unlike Microsoft, are still supporting a version of DOS

   Another major consideration for me, as I intend to stick with the
DR-DOS (operating system) and New Deal Office (GUI) combination for the
forseeable future and I want to bet on a version of DOS that'll grow with
me.


							Steven Hurdle