For DOS performance, we use id software's Quakeóeveryone's favorite CPU pusher and VESA 2.0 inspector. While Microsoft's Alex St. John believes DOS is dead, we know games will still be pumping DOS4GW's DOS-extender for all it's worth.

INSTALLATION: You'll need to have either the full or shareware version of Quake installed.  The shareware version can be found on bootDiscs 02 & 04 as well as at id's web site (www.idsoftware.com). The Quake button in the bootDisc interface launches a Setup application that will copy over the bootMark.dem file to the directory that you specify.

NOTE: Make sure you choose your Quake\id1 subdirectory as the target for this file. Now, drop to DOS and fire up Quake. Make sure you have Quake version 1.06 or greater. If your version is not up to snuff, we've included the v1.01-to-v1.06 patch, as well as the latest Verite Quake and GLQuake patches in the PATCHES folder on this month's bootDisc. Now set your video resolution to 640x480. What? You don't see that resolution as an option? Congratulations! Your video card is not VESA 2.0 compliant! Run out and download the latest version of SciTech's Display Doctor, or check your video card manufacturer's Web site for VESA drivers. Once you've set your resolution, insure that Quake is set full-screenóno status bars on the bottom. Start a new game. Pull the console down by pressing the tilde key (~). Type in timedemo bootmark and hit enter. Immediately press the tilde key once and relax. Quake will now run through our little demo and at the end, will spew an average frame-per-second count. Higher frame rates are always better. If you own an accelerated version, run the bootmark.dem with that and observe your frame rates. You should be getting at least twice the rate of unaccelerated Quake.

THE RANGE: 10fps is the minimum a DOS-based video card should do in 640x480 Quake, with 15fps being the average score. Hit 20fps unaccelerated, and you may not need Voodoo.