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From: John Rabson <john.rabson@numeo.fr>
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Date: Sun, 6 May 2012 10:47:07 +0200
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Subject: Why stay with DOS? (was Re: LF: Open Sauce)
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Eddie,

> Why in the 21stC are we using an O/S based on DOS.

In the commercial environment, for backward compatibility with a vast =
installed user base.  On the software side, I have met this sort of =
thing with commercial COBOL and FORTRAN-based products. It often cheaper =
overall (at the time) to continue maintaining such software rather than =
change to something radically different.

If one wishes to replace (or re-implement) the underlying OS it may be =
necessary to throw away an awful lot of application code that perhaps is =
tied more intimately than one would wish into the underlying system.  =
The cost of such a re-implementation, although it might be worth it in =
the long run, does not go down well with the accountants, amongst other =
people.

The same applies with user interfaces. I have just installed a Windows 7 =
system for a client whose XP system hard disk had gone seriously =
belly-up. Yes, we did have a full backup but some of the products she =
was used to (Outlook Express and Cardfile for example) are no longer =
supplied and will not necessarily run correctly, if at all, on the new =
system. I enquired about getting a second hand XP box but it emerged =
that this would cost perhaps twice as much as the new system. It was =
therefore necessary to bite the bullet and do some client re-training. =
This is not always easy.

Needless to say, the client did not have an XP distribution disc set.

John F5VLF
PS Regarding on-off switches, I have encountered system boxes whose =
on-off switch is a software one. To perform a proper power off it is =
necessary to unplug the box from the mains supply.=