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Crossbrand - OS/2 Warp Version 3 Versus MS Windows 95
Applicable to: United States
This article will briefly examine the architecture, multitasking abilities, application support, and graphical user interface differences between OS/2 Warp and Microsoft Windows 95.
ARCHITECTURE
Architecture is the key to performance, stability, and ease of use. This is also the major difference between OS/2 and WINDOWS 95. Let's take a look.
WINDOWS 95 operating system code and all applications share a single memory address space. This is referred to as System Virtual Machine. Although this enhances performance, it also enables a single application to crash the entire system. Key portions of the operating system are exposed and therefore subject to all application failures. How severe could this possibly be? How severe is reinstalling your entire operating system and all applications?
OS/2 uses VDMs or Virtual DOS Machines to separate all applications. OS/2 also protects the Kernel (the core of the operating system) at the highest level. Therefore no application may affect another and no application may tamper with the operating system code. If a failure occurs, it affects only the errant application and not the entire system like WINDOWS 95.
MULTITASKING AND APPLICATION SUPPORT
We will need to define preemptive multitasking and cooperative multitasking. Preemptive multitasking allows the operating system to control the amount of CPU time an application has. In a cooperative multitasking environment the application has the responsibility to give up control of the CPU so that other applications may execute. Due to the complexity of multitasking it is better to leave control of CPU time to the operating system rather than the individual applications. Therefore, preemptive multitasking is the environment of choice.
WINDOWS 95 has preemptive multitasking. You must work exclusively with 32-bit Win32 applications, however! Why? Because WINDOWS 95 System is comprised of 16-bit code structures brought over from WINDOWS 3.1. WINDOWS 3.1 was written as a cooperative multitasking environment. Hence another potential problem. When you introduce cooperative multitasking into preemptive multitasking situation you risk system crashes or at least application failure. This is due to a conflict between the applications and the operating system where more than one process may be vying for CPU time.
OS/2 has featured true preemptive multitasking of native applications since its inception. There are over 2000 OS/2 applications available where as there are none for WINDOWS 95 at this time. OS/2 can successfully preemptively multitask DOS and WINDOWS 16-bit applications through the use of VDMs.
GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
WINDOWS 95 is said to use an object-oriented interface. A true object-oriented interface links individual objects and is updated dynamically.
The object-oriented environment of WINDOWS 95 is static. The objects on a WINDOWS 95 desktop are merely pointers to files on the disk. The key information is stored in INI files and PIF files with static links between them. Therefore, if you create a shortcut to an executable file and place it on the WINDOWS 95 desktop and then rename the executable, the shortcut will disappear. The link will be severed. To reestablish the link you must recreate the shortcut.
OS/2 is an object-oriented environment. All links between objects and actual files are updated dynamically. Any changes you wish to make to either the desktop or the files will automatically be updated.
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Hint Category |
OS/2 | |
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Date Created |
23-04-96 | |
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Last Updated |
29-04-99 | |
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Revision Date |
06-05-2000 | |
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Brand |
IBM Aptiva, IBM Monitors | |
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Product Family |
Aptiva, PS/1 | |
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Machine Type |
2011, 2121, 2123, 2133, 2155, 2168 | |
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Model |
C01; C34; M01; NEA; T35; U35; A62; A82; A94; B82; C42; C92; G42; M82; S92; 081; 087; 131; 137; K37; N31; N81; 11E; 13T; 14C; 16E; 17A; 18A; 18T; 19C; 21C; 28A; 46M; 51D; D50; G11; G13; G43; G46; G49; G50; G53; M40; M46; R44; S11; S13; S43; S45; S47; S48; S53; W11; W13; W42; W43; W45; W53; 20E; 22T; 23C; 24C; 24M; 39E; 41T; 43C; 45V; 48E; 52C; 55V; 72E; 74T; 76C; 78C; 79C; 81A; 82E; 84T; 86C; 87C; 88V; CC1; D53; G14; G44; G52; G54; G72; G76; G78; G82; NM1; P57; P71; P74; P84; S14; S44; S54; S70; S76; S78; S80; W14; W44; W48; W54; W67; W76; W77; W78; Z33; 28V; 31E; 33T; 37C; 38C; 50T; 51E; 54T; 56C; 57C; BB1; G57; G87; P89; S55; S85; SR1; US1; W52; W82; S50; S75 | |
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TypeModel |
2011C01; 2011C34; 2011M01; 2011NEA; 2011T35; 2011U35; 2121A62; 2121A82; 2121A94; 2121B82; 2121C42; 2121C92; 2121G42; 2121M82; 2121S92; 2123081; 2123087; 2123131; 2123137; 2123K37; 2123N31; 2123N81; 213311E; 213313T; 213314C; 213316E; 213317A; 213318A; 213318T; 213319C; 213321C; 213323C; 213328A; 213346M; 213351D; 2133D50; 2133G11; 2133G13; 2133G43; 2133G46; 2133G49; 2133G50; 2133G53; 2133M40; 2133M46; 2133P11; 2133P13; 2133P43; 2133P50; 2133P53; 2133R04; 2133R05; 2133R06; 2133R09; 2133R38; 2133R42; 2133R43; 2133R44; 2133R84; 2133R86; 2133R87; 2133RO3; 2133S11; 2133S13; 2133S43; 2133S45; 2133S47; 2133S48; 2133S50; 2133S53; 2133W11; 2133W13; 2133W42; 2133W43; 2133W45; 2133W50; 2133W53; 215520E; 215522T; 215524C; 215524M; 215528V; 215539E; 215541T; 215543C; 215545V; 215548E; 215550T; 215552C; 215555V; 215572E; 215574T; 215576C; 215578C; 215579C; 215581A; 215582E; 215584T; 215586C; 215587C; 2155CC1; 2155D53; 2155G14; 2155G44; 2155G52; 2155G54; 2155G72; 2155G76; 2155G78; 2155G82; 2155NM1; 2155P14; 2155P44; 2155P57; 2155P71; 2155P74; 2155P76; 2155P78; 2155P84; 2155R14; 2155R15; 2155R16; 2155R17; 2155R18; 2155R51; 2155R52; 2155R57; 2155R58; 2155R62; 2155R63; 2155R67; 2155R71; 2155R89; 2155R93; 2155R96; 2155R97; 2155S14; 2155S44; 2155S50; 2155S54; 2155S70; 2155S75; 2155S76; 2155S78; 2155S80; 2155W14; 2155W44; 2155W48; 2155W54; 2155W67; 2155W76; 2155W77; 2155W78; 2155Z33; 216828V; 216831E; 216833T; 216837C; 216838C; 216851E; 216854T; 216856C; 216857C; 216888V; 2168BB1; 2168G57; 2168G87; 2168OR1; 2168OR3; 2168OR4; 2168OR5; 2168P89; 2168R28; 2168R29; 2168R31; 2168R74; 2168R78; 2168R82; 2168R98; 2168S55; 2168S85; 2168SR1; 2168US1; 2168W52; 2168W82 | |
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