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Subject: future of dos based chess programs

Author: Mark Loftus

Date: 14:54:26 04/14/98





Will some of our best dos programs be relegated to uselessness in the
not too distant future?
I am not a techie here, so please correct me if I am wrong...

I understand that the beta version of windows98 is already out, and this
windows98 will be sold to the public in a few short months.  Each time a
new windows version comes out like this, it also represents a new dos
update like 7.xx.  Anyways, will it come to the point that some very
fine dos chess programs that happened to be written for Dos 6.x or Dos
5.x
won't be able to run on machines with the newest windows version?   I
have heard that the intention was to do away with dos eventually.

In my professional life, I don't purchase any more dos programs for our
business needs anymore...  Perhaps I represent the views of some of the
average potential buyers of chess programs, who with the current
technology explosion will naturally tend to purchase windows programs.

I realize that dos works a bit faster than windows and I don't know if
that
speed gap will ever be equaled.  Also, I recognize there are plenty of
fine dos programs out there, like Rebel and MChess that look and perform
just as good if not better than their windows counterparts.  Also,
I can envision new dos chess programs being written for newer dos
versions based on these windows updates.  But the question remains, is
the time running out for dos programs?  I know the old version of Grand-
Master Chess does not run on my computer at home with windows95.
Will the buying public also perceive this and avoid dos programs that
may not run on many computer systems in the future?


Mark Loftus



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