Re: Diversi-DOS

[mfumu@alphalink.com.au (Bill Robbins)]

In article <OdMg6.1067$iB1.454704@typhoon.austin.rr.com>, "Krack"
<krack@kracker.com> wrote:

>whats the story with deversi-dos? I got an original copy from Goodwill and
>have yet to find as use for it. Is it more of less dos3.3 without some of
>the features?
>
>If nothing else it may bring back memories for some of you.

Diversi-DOS was a very radical modification of DOS 3.3 with a range of new
commands which required dramatic and unorthodox changes, as was the
trademark of the author, Bill Basham.  It was also very fast.  Also
typical, it was NOT buggy.  However it's radical approach did mean that it
clashed with most application programs that made changes to DOS 3.3 on the
fly.  (Things weren't where they would have been with classic DOS 3.3.)

Pronto-DOS was basically a RELATIVELY minor code fix so that whole blocks
of data wouldn't have to go through DOS 3.3's byte by byte routines.  The
speed up was not as great as with Diversi-DOS but it was very close to
100% compatible with applications.  

By classifying Pronto-DOS as a relatively minor code fix I am in no way
intending to denigrate Tom Weishaar's skills or efforts in this regard. 
It could well take as much or more skill to make changes that "stay out of
the way" than just to wipe out whole chunks and start from scratch.  Both
of these efforts were excellant and both had their place in the Apple II
kingdom.  (Also both had many more options and features than mentioned
here.)  These and the others mentioned in this thread, which I know
nothing about, serve to illustrate the richness in variety and choice that
characterised microcomputing of that era.  Compare that to Windows/Office
on the PeeCee or Office on the Mac, plus a smattering of minor players. 
Something has been lost.
-- 
Bill Robbins, mfumu@alphalink.com.au