OS/2 Advantages List

Here's a list of OS/2 advantages compiled from several sources, including a similar list by Stephen M. Smith (smsmith@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu). While I've tried to eliminate errors and duplications in previous lists, I'll appreciate suggestions for improvements.

(CLI=Command Line Interface; GUI=Graphic User Interface; VDM=Virtual DOS Machine)


 * 1) Preemptively multitasks, i.e., this op. sys. allocates CPU time to apps based on user-selectable priorities.
 * 2) Protects apps from overwriting or crashing one another.
 * 3) Provides at least 633k of RAM to each DOS app.
 * 4) Offers over 700k of RAM to each DOS app in CGA/Mono mode.
 * 5) Offers 16M XMS, 32M EMS, and 512M DPMI to each DOS app.
 * 6) Manages memory without 3rd party managers like QEMM and 386Max.
 * 7) Runs DOS, Windows 2.0-3.0, and both 16 and 32 bit OS/2 apps.
 * 8) Runs DR DOS, 4DOS, Desqview, CP/M, Minix, or any other real mode op. sys. in each VDM.
 * 9) Offers each VDM its own device drivers, config.sys, and autoexec.bat.
 * 10) Offers up to 240 VDM's.
 * 11) Offers choice of GUI, CLI in a window, or CLI without GUI loaded.
 * 12) Automatically distinguishes DOS, Windows, and OS/2 apps when invoked from the command line, and runs them.
 * 13) Allows background starting of programs from the command line.
 * 14) Allows simultaneous or conditional starting of programs from the command line (e.g., 2nd program starts if 1st program fails).
 * 15) Offers detailed help from the command line.
 * 16) Recalls command lines (for the OS/2 CLI) without use of a TSR.
 * 17) Offers 1 pass DISKCOPY from the command line.
 * 18) Can use the CLI to move files and directories without first copying and then deleting them.
 * 19) Offers over 100 lines for scroll back in CLI windows (mode co80,102).
 * 20) Offers huge fonts in full screen text mode sessions (mode co40,12) for visually impaired.
 * 21) Offers disabled users "sticky keys" for one finger operation.
 * 22) Reliably supports background communication and printing.
 * 23) Prints output correctly from programs running concurrently.
 * 24) Offers the powerful REXX batch language meeting SAA standards.
 * 25) Allows the wildcard '*' at any point in a word, even in DOS sessions.
 * 26) Keeps a first-in-first-out wastebasket of deleted files for latter recovery.
 * 27) Uses extended attributes for files, programs, and directories.
 * 28) Uses Installable File Systems, either FAT or HPFS.
 * 29) With HPFS, speeds disk access by reducing head motion.
 * 30) With HPFS, avoids fragmenting of files.
 * 31) With HPFS, saves disk space with 512 byte clusters.
 * 32) With HPFS, applies hot fixes when encountering bad sectors.
 * 33) With HPFS, supports hard disks up to 512 GB in size.
 * 34) Has built in 387 emulation.
 * 35) Offers extensive system diagnostics for trouble shooting.
 * 36) Buffers the 16550A UART in DOS sessions.
 * 37) Uses threads.
 * 38) Uses semaphores.
 * 39) Uses named pipes, with output to DOS, Windows, and OS/2 apps.
 * 40) Allows 32 bit apps without needing a 32 bit/16 bit translation layer.
 * 41) Uses the watchdog timer in 32 bit bus motherboards.
 * 42) Runs detached processes.
 * 43) Allows use of two free 32 bit C compilers, one with debugger and one with C++, and a free 32 bit Fortran compiler (claimed to halve run time).
 * 44) Allows booting from an extended partition.
 * 45) Allows user to choose op. sys. at bootup, using Boot Manager.
 * 46) Allows user to change op. sys. from the command line, using Dual Boot.
 * 47) Allows boot-from-disk games.
 * 48) Includes "applets" and games, e.g. chess playable over networks.
 * 49) Reliably starts apps or batch files at scheduled times, using the included Alarms applet.
 * 50) Offers scalable, industry standard typefaces in Windows and OS/2 applications, without purchasing an additional utility.
 * 51) Can restrict or set times for printing.
 * 52) Can include custom header sheets with print jobs.
 * 53) Allows a 768x1024 portrait mode for the desktop, using a Trident adapter.
 * 54) Allows "pan and scan" video drivers (e.g., Tridents 800x600x256 virtual desktop driver) to create a large virtual desktop which scrolls both horizontally and vertically with mouse movement.
 * 55) Scrolls the desktop, without needing additional utilities.
 * 56) Offers different color schemes for each window, border, background, buttons, text bars, etc.
 * 57) Offers different fonts in each pull-down menu, icons, text bars, etc.
 * 58) Offers different pictures or solid colors for the background in each folder.
 * 59) Allows user created color schemes to be dragged and dropped at any time on any window or folder.
 * 60) Allows user to select border width of each window.
 * 61) Can restore the original desktop (icons, fonts, windows, colors, etc.) at bootup if desired.
 * 62) Allows icons directly on the desktop.
 * 63) Allows shadow objects, so changing one changes all.
 * 64) Resizes DOS graphics in VDM windows.
 * 65) Can "explode" and "implode" windows when opening and closing them, a la the Mac.
 * 66) Allows use of icons before other icons in the same window have finished displaying.
 * 67) Allows selection of several icons with a single mouse click, and then a single action on them all.
 * 68) Creates files and directories via drag and drop.
 * 69) Allows dragging and dropping folders into other folders.
 * 70) Allows making folders into "work areas", so that closing one closes all its files and programs.
 * 71) At boot, automatically restarts apps and restores desktop to their state at last shutdown.
 * 72) Automatically updates icons when files and directories are moved.
 * 73) Changes window lists and status bars to show which executable is running within each VDM.
 * 74) Retains mouse access to desktop from within each windowed VDM.
 * 75) Alters the look of icons when programs are started and folders opened.
 * 76) Save the keyboard state (e.g. NumLock) for each application.
 * 77) All past upgrades and CSD's have been free.
 * 78) Comes with a 30 day money-back satisfaction guarantee.
 * 79) Comes with a 90 day money-back compatibility guarantee.
 * 80) Comes with 60 days of toll-free technical support.

Please send me your suggestions for additions, deletions, or corrections for future listings.