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Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98?

Cross-posted to 3 groups.

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Klaus Meinhard wrote:

> > Isin't it more accurate to say that Windows 9x is simply accessing
> > hardware via a 16-bit driver running in the DOS VMM that IT
> > (windows) controls?
> 
> Since DOS has to be started to provide a platform from which
> Win95/98 can be launched, and has to be present so that Win95/98
> can run, it is perfectly defendable to say that Win 95/98 runs
> "on top of" Windows.

No.  It's more like Win-9x is boot-loaded by DOS.  

I could just as easily say that Windows NT "runs on top of" it's boot
loader.  That is equally true according to your definition of "runs on
top of" - but it's not a useful statement. 

The DOS that existed transiently in memory when win-9x was invoked is
swept away as 9x is started.  As such, Win-9x can't "run on top of"
something that no longer exists.

> Now you can carefully define your directions: perhaps Win95/98 runs
> beside or under DOS?  You can try to define the amount of DOS as a
> percentage in any given situation. You can ask youself if a clone of
> the underlying DOS is still DOS at all: has it its soul?

Are you trying to imply that DOS is acting like an always-present
foundation for Win-9x?

If so, you might want to explain how 16-bit, single-tasking real-mode
code can act as a foundation layer for a 32-bit, preemtive multi-tasking
protected-mode OS running "above" it.

Win-9x needs to be able to run 16-bit "DOS" programs.  That was part of
it's design mandate when it was created by Microsoft to insure backwards
compatibility with the existing i86 software.  So just because it does
have full DOS-emulation capability inside it doesn't mean it needs to
resort to any of it when it's running win32 code.

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What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? DOS Guy <DOS@Guy.com> - 2011-10-16 18:27 -0400
  Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? Trifle Menot <triflemenot@beewyz.com> - 2011-10-16 23:38 +0000
  Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2011-10-17 05:16 -0400
    Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? "Klaus Meinhard" <K_Meinhard@gmx.de> - 2011-10-17 16:47 +0200
      Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? tomdzip <tomdzip@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-17 09:02 -0700
        Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? "Klaus Meinhard" <K_Meinhard@gmx.de> - 2011-10-18 08:42 +0200
      Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2011-10-17 13:34 -0400
        Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? DOS Guy <DOS@Guy.com> - 2011-10-17 16:43 -0400
          Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? Ross Ridge <rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> - 2011-10-17 18:34 -0400
            Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? DOS Guy <DOS@Guy.com> - 2011-10-17 19:29 -0400
              Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? Ross Ridge <rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> - 2011-10-17 20:36 -0400
                Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? DOS Guy <DOS@Guy.com> - 2011-10-17 21:36 -0400
                Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? Ross Ridge <rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> - 2011-10-18 09:46 -0400
          Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@noavailemail.cmm> - 2011-10-18 10:51 -0400
            Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? Ross Ridge <rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> - 2011-10-18 13:49 -0400
  Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? Ross Ridge <rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> - 2011-10-17 12:46 -0400
    Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? DOS Guy <DOS@Guy.com> - 2011-10-17 19:46 -0400
      Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? Trifle Menot <triflemenot@beewyz.com> - 2011-10-18 00:14 +0000
      Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? Ross Ridge <rridge@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> - 2011-10-17 20:56 -0400
      Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? "Klaus Meinhard" <K_Meinhard@gmx.de> - 2011-10-18 08:53 +0200
        Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? DOS Guy <DOS@Guy.com> - 2011-10-18 09:12 -0400
          Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? Jim Leonard <mobygamer@gmail.com> - 2011-10-18 07:03 -0700
          Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? "Klaus Meinhard" <K_Meinhard@gmx.de> - 2011-10-19 10:07 +0200
        Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? "Ant" <not@home.today> - 2011-10-19 01:26 +0100
          Re: What role does "DOS" play in Windows 95/98? "Klaus Meinhard" <K_Meinhard@gmx.de> - 2011-10-19 09:19 +0200

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