3 ms·

I always enjoy this article when it makes the rounds, but I'm still unreasonably annoyed about two points. > Despite this capability being mentioned in countle

I always enjoy this article when it makes the rounds, but I'm still unreasonably annoyed about two points. > Despite this capability being mentioned in countless reviews of the success story of Windows, the actual functionality of it is almost entirely undocumented online. Much of this was already documented online in 2020. https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20111107-00/?p=9183 https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20111107-00/?p=91... and https://retrocomputing.stackexchange.com/q/791/278 https://retrocomputing.stackexchange.com/q/791/278 are examples. (https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20211129-00/?p=105979 https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20211129-00/?p=10... came after this article was written, but is worth reading too.) > while you can probably tell me the name of the OS installed on Macs in 1985, and you can definitely name the most popular way to run multiple DOS programs on the PC in 1995, you almost certainly can't name a DOS task switcher or multitasking environment offhand. DoubleDOS. And I've never used it: I know it by reputation alone.

porbelm 3y ago
DesqView. Used it for BBS stuff, like being logged into admin at the same time as having a user on AND running Norton Commander or whatever at the same time.
Brian_K_White 3y ago
Came here exactly to say "Wasn't Desqview quite well known?" I never even used it myself (except indirectly as a bbs user) yet even I a non-user knew about it. Maybe it doesn't fall into the same category and works more like an actual os with a kernel? Like I said, never used it so idk.
- caspper69 3y ago
  PC Magazine (and others I'm sure) used to regularly do "showdowns" with DOS multitasking environments and upcoming GUIs. There was a time when none of this stuff was settled and a lot of folks threw their hat into the ring. I used to love the writeups as a bbs operator, lol!

porbelm 3y ago

DesqView. Used it for BBS stuff, like being logged into admin at the same time as having a user on AND running Norton Commander or whatever at the same time.

Brian_K_White 3y ago

Came here exactly to say "Wasn't Desqview quite well known?" I never even used it myself (except indirectly as a bbs user) yet even I a non-user knew about it. Maybe it doesn't fall into the same category and works more like an actual os with a kernel? Like I said, never used it so idk.

caspper69 3y ago
PC Magazine (and others I'm sure) used to regularly do "showdowns" with DOS multitasking environments and upcoming GUIs. There was a time when none of this stuff was settled and a lot of folks threw their hat into the ring. I used to love the writeups as a bbs operator, lol!