GeoWorks

Caluser2000 wrote on 2020-06-05, 06:51:

GeoWorks

Doesn’t that require a 386 cpu?

SammyFox wrote on 2020-06-05, 07:02:

Caluser2000 wrote on 2020-06-05, 06:51:

GeoWorks

Doesn’t that require a 386 cpu?

No. I have GeoWorks Pro 1.2 on my Redstone XT Turbo box and use GeoComm to access a linux box. Ran it on my 286/16 back when it was released with DRDos 6.0. Even BreadBox Ensemble should run on an XT class computer. New Deal Office 3.2a does.

The readme from GeoWorks 1.2 says 640k ram and 286 recommended, not required. GeoWorks 2.0 says (quote from install.txt:
"Minimum Hardware: + 286 CPU (386 recommended), + CGA display and adapter, + 1 megabyte memory, "
Though you may be able to configure 2.0 to run on a Turbo XT with just 640k. New Deal Websuite v3 does say it requires 286 or better on the box and 640k (have the retail box with floppies and CD) but it also might be able to run on a Turbo XT with some configuring.

Horun wrote on 2020-06-06, 21:49:

The readme from GeoWorks 1.2 says 640k ram and 286 recommended, not required. GeoWorks 2.0 says (quote from install.txt:
"Minimum Hardware: + 286 CPU (386 recommended), + CGA display and adapter, + 1 megabyte memory, "
Though you may be able to configure 2.0 to run on a Turbo XT with just 640k. New Deal Websuite v3 does say it requires 286 or better on the box and 640k (have the retail box with floppies and CD) but it also might be able to run on a Turbo XT with some configuring.

There's a screen shots from a bloke actually runnin NDO 3.2a on this web site on an XT class system if you bother to look. And it didn't take much effort at all. My XT Turbo install took no effort at all. Just ran the installation routine. The reason they upped the spec on 2.x was there was a code change and it runs slightly slower than v1.X did. v3.x and 4.x run as fast as 2.x does.

The version no. doesn't define the x86 cpu type PCGeos will only run on...

Caluser2000 wrote on 2020-06-07, 00:32:

Horun wrote on 2020-06-06, 21:49:

The readme from GeoWorks 1.2 says 640k ram and 286 recommended, not required. GeoWorks 2.0 says (quote from install.txt:
"Minimum Hardware: + 286 CPU (386 recommended), + CGA display and adapter, + 1 megabyte memory, "
Though you may be able to configure 2.0 to run on a Turbo XT with just 640k. New Deal Websuite v3 does say it requires 286 or better on the box and 640k (have the retail box with floppies and CD) but it also might be able to run on a Turbo XT with some configuring.

There's a screen shots from a bloke actually runnin NDO 3.2a on this web site on an XT class system if you bother to look. And it didn't take much effort at all. My XT Turbo install took no effort at all. Just ran the installation routine. The reason they upped the spec on 2.x was there was a code change and it runs slightly slower than v1.X did. v3.x and 4.x run as fast as 2.x does.

The version no. doesn't define the x86 cpu type PCGeos will only run on...

I was actually supporting your idea of running Geos on his machine. And

if you bother to look

I did search here, most were trying it in DOSbox and one other thread about old op sys had you posting about it. I figures posting the system requirements included with the program would be a good idea just in case OP tries Geos and has an issue. Also my first 286 came with DOS 5 and Geoworks Assemble, still have those manuals so I do have a tiny bit of experience with it 😁

Horun wrote on 2020-06-07, 01:10:

I was actually supporting your idea of running Geos on his machine. And […]
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Caluser2000 wrote on 2020-06-07, 00:32:

Horun wrote on 2020-06-06, 21:49:

The readme from GeoWorks 1.2 says 640k ram and 286 recommended, not required. GeoWorks 2.0 says (quote from install.txt:
"Minimum Hardware: + 286 CPU (386 recommended), + CGA display and adapter, + 1 megabyte memory, "
Though you may be able to configure 2.0 to run on a Turbo XT with just 640k. New Deal Websuite v3 does say it requires 286 or better on the box and 640k (have the retail box with floppies and CD) but it also might be able to run on a Turbo XT with some configuring.

There's a screen shots from a bloke actually runnin NDO 3.2a on this web site on an XT class system if you bother to look. And it didn't take much effort at all. My XT Turbo install took no effort at all. Just ran the installation routine. The reason they upped the spec on 2.x was there was a code change and it runs slightly slower than v1.X did. v3.x and 4.x run as fast as 2.x does.

The version no. doesn't define the x86 cpu type PCGeos will only run on...

I was actually supporting your idea of running Geos on his machine. And

if you bother to look

I did search here, most were trying it in DOSbox and one other thread about old op sys had you posting about it. I figures posting the system requirements included with the program would be a good idea just in case OP tries Geos and has an issue. Also my first 286 came with DOS 5 and Geoworks Assemble, still have those manuals so I do have a tiny bit of experience with it 😁

Actually so do I with registration card sent. Ran it on top od DRDos 6.0, as well as my original HDO 3.2a manuals and disks. Have them right in front of me as I type this 😀

Nice ! Definately want to run it on VGA ! The main user manual for Ensemble is near 400 pages, the other three booklets for it are small. The printing cost must have been near equal to the software dev when divided out by how many they released. I doubt my original floppies still work, they been sitting a long long time.

Horun wrote on 2020-06-07, 03:45:

Nice ! Definately want to run it on VGA ! The main user manual for Ensemble is near 400 pages, the other three booklets for it are small. The printing cost must have been near equal to the software dev when divided out by how many they released. I doubt my original floppies still work, they been sitting a long long time.

The XT Turbo is running an EGA monitor. Came free with the system which was also gratis. . All it needed was a hdd. A XT-IDE card ans BigFoot drive sorted that out. My GeoWorks Pro 1.2 floppies are fine but I do use the back ups for installation and Trixtor has disk images his oldskool.org ftp server. One of my NDO 3.2a disks is bad but can still install it without some extra files though. templates and stuff. Again available on Trixtors ftp server.

^Seriously, get an EMS board finally! 😉 It made Windows 3.0 fly in Real-Mode (allowed wallpapers etc).
That 2MB Lo-tech card isn't the most expensive thing in the world, for example and worth checking out.

IMHO Win 3.0 on an XT class system is pointless. It' like putting XP on a 486...

PC/GEOS can use EMS, too, not just XMS. Definitely worth testing, IMHO. (-> Makes me wish PCem/86Box had EMS support in PC/XT machine modes!)
640K is not ideal for doing real work or running multiple programs, I think. That's why EMS was created in first place, after all.. 😁

Jo22 wrote on 2020-06-07, 08:11:

PC/GEOS can use EMS, too, not just XMS. Definitely worth testing, IMHO. (-> Makes me wish PCem/86Box had EMS support in PC/XT machine modes!)
640K is not ideal for doing real work or running multiple programs, I think. That's why EMS was created in first place, after all.. 😁

You mean like writing a business letter, creating a victor graphic, creating a banner, playing Tetris, using the calculator windowed? Oh and have a background wall paper. Try that on Win 3.0 with 640k of ram on a XT class system and it will explode.

Caluser2000 wrote on 2020-06-07, 20:24:

Jo22 wrote on 2020-06-07, 08:11:

PC/GEOS can use EMS, too, not just XMS. Definitely worth testing, IMHO. (-> Makes me wish PCem/86Box had EMS support in PC/XT machine modes!)
640K is not ideal for doing real work or running multiple programs, I think. That's why EMS was created in first place, after all.. 😁

You mean like writing a business letter, creating a victor graphic, creating a banner, playing Tetris, using the calculator windowed? Oh and have a background wall paper. Try that on Win 3.0 with 640k of ram on a XT class system and it will explode.

Yes. Personally, in DOS, I often ran out of conventional memory with the more demanding type of software.
- When working with painting programs, such as Easel in Win 2.x (GIFs at 640x480@256 and higer res).
- Loading complex technical drawings in AutoSketch for DOS
- Writing large programs (QuickBasic 4.5 vs. PDS Basic 7 with EMS)
- Playing MOD files with more than 8 channels

With EMS/XMS available, all these things worked rather well.
With EMS, AutoSketch 3.0, for example, could display extremely complex graphics in huge (!) resolutions (HD).
To give an idea, have a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6e3FzI9Tuw

Anyway, my point wasn't whether or not something it possible.
Or that Windows 3.x was more useful than PC/GEOS.
I simply meant that EMS can be quite useful, esp. in XTs.

From my understanding, both Windows and PC/GEOS do benefit from free memory that's contiguous (in a logical rather than a physical sense).
Unlike XMS, EMS also has the advantage that it can map any memory into the page frame (akin to using pointers), it doesn't need to copy memory back and forth each time.
That means, that memory in EMS isn't "fragmented" in the same way it is in XMS (the EMS manager hides the real/physical "mess").
If there wasn't a bottleneck (ISA bus if using EMS boards), it could be less stressing to the PC than "real" memory even (conventional, XMS).

Anyway, I'm speaking under correction here. If something is wrong (to err is human), anyone feel free to correct.

I forgot to mention. There alsu used to be GEM, which should work fine on weak XT class machines.
Version 1.2 can handle overlapping windows, still, I believe.

IBM PC XT 5160 booting into GEM 1.2 Desktop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LpATLzj6Ek

GEM, a Mac-like GUI and OS for Low-end PCs
https://lowendmac.com/lowendpc/box/2002/0530.html

GEM is mentioned in the title so I'm sure the OP is well aware of it....