[WinMac] Re: Film Bureau and Platforms

Aaron Ciesar(aciesar[at]stroke.upmc.edu)
Fri, 24 Sep 1999 11:13:01 -0400

Dan,

I have responded in line and clipped extra text.

----------
>From: "Daniel L. Schwartz" <expresso@snip.net>
>To: "The Windows-MacOS cooperation list" <winmac@xerxes.frit.utexas.edu>
>Subject: Re: Film Bureau and Platforms
>Date: Thu, Sep 23, 1999, 4:37 PM

>>Never underestimate the power of duct-tape. ;)
>
> That's right: It's hard to get out of after it's wrapped around your
> wrists, ankles... And neck!

Uh... okay..., I'm getting scared now! ;)

> The single biggest issue I personally have with Win2k is that it is trying
> to accommodate too many video drivers. Up through NT 3.51, the GDI ran in
> protected (user) mode - CPU Ring 3. Starting with NT4, the GDI was moved
> into CPU Ring 0 - Kernel (real) mode, (along with the server and spooler
> services), so that a buggy video card driver would bring the system to a
> BSOD. As long as, for a server, stuck to generic chipsets with their
> generic drivers, all runs nicely. Going beyond that, sticking closely with
> the Windows Hardware Compatibility List
> <http://www.microsoft.com/hwtest/hcl> for NT compatibility is critical for
> video - And other PCI option card systems such as SCSI and NIC.

You know, this is exactly what is wrong with Microsoft. In their effort to
make NT the all knowing, all seeing, all doing OS, MS continues to jam more
and more unneeded features into NT while continuously sacrificing stability.

Considering that drivers are the single greatest source for BSOD's in NT,
the decision to move more drivers out of CPU Ring 3 to Ring 0 is truly brain
dead. Microsoft has the potential to be the greatest source of quality
software in the world. Instead we get dancing paperclips.

>>Well, my servers run with ASIP 6.2.1 which requires MacOS 8.6. You can run
>>ASIP 6.2 on MacOS 8.5.1, but some of the bug fixes in ASIP are dependent
>>upon MacOS 8.6.
>
> That is a bit disheartening, in that the bug fixes in ASIP 6.2 require bug
> fixes to be applied to the OS as well. They *should* be independent -
> Especially since many companies are in Y2k lockdown, and *cannot* "upgrade"
> their OS.

Very true, fortunately, our department is not in a Y2K lockdown. It really
nice when you get to make your own rules. Plus, I was very happy with the
upgrade, it was free, and I have enjoyed stability improvements throughout
my department's Macs.

>>Plus, the improved multitasking in 8.6 actually increases the performance of
>>my print server, as it runs in the background.
>
> Why are you running a print server? For PC's? At least (background)
> printing has been the one *really good* aspect of System 7 & 8 due to
> AppleTalk's PAP; Desktop Printing notwithstanding.
>
> SEE, Thare ARE a few things I like about System 7 & 8! :)

I need a print server to sever my Windows machines. My department is a
50/50 mix of Macs and PC's.

I agree with you that AppleTalk's PAP rules. Of course, since PAP is such a
great technology, Apple is currently planning on dumping it with no
foreseeable replacement (except for LPR, which BTW sucks). Talk about
another brain dead decision.

--


Aaron B. Ciesar
Data Manager/Analyst
UPMC Stroke Institute






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