NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #16/NN_1992_16.iso/spool/comp/os/os2/misc/26050

Internet Message Format | 1992-07-30 | 1.7 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!haven.umd.edu!umd5!cygnus.umd.edu!adhir
From: [e-mail] (Alok Dhir)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Re: Why can't two full-screened DOS apps multitask???
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Date: 30 Jul 92 19:32:57 GMT
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>For once, the answer is in the documentation that comes with the OS/2 package.
>Read the "Compatibility" booklet that comes in the package.  Page 7 starts the
>discussion on video compatibility.  In there it explicitly states that DOS or
>windows programs in the background that attempt to update the screen through a
>driver that doesn't know how to virtualize the screen are suspended.  I
>believe the standard VGA drivers that come with OS/2 will handle this, but
>some hi-res Windows or other drivers may not.

This makes good sense.  I finally understand why my Windows apps never execute
in the background...it's because they are using a driver that doesn't know how
to virtualize the screen.  On the other hand, this raises an interesting
question...will the release OS/2 v2.0 drivers include drivers for high res
WinOS/2 which DO know how to virtualize the screen?  Or will we be limited
to multitasking everything EXCEPT for full-screen WinOS/2 programs?

Thanks for the info...

--
 ============================================================================
 Al Dhir                                     Technical Consulting Staff
 Internet: [e-mail]           University of Maryland, College Park
 Bitnet:   adhir%cygnus.umd.edu@Interbit      [phone] * [phone]