Coder's Guild Mailing List

Re: VBE 2.0

Posted by Sharvil Nanavati on 2000-10-23

--- Eibon <eibon@xxx.xxx> wrote:
> Greetings...
> 
> Thomas Mathys wrote:
> 
> > i guess this is because vesa 2.0 is important for dos programs, and
> who
> > writes dos programs nowadays ? (ok, some do:)
> 
> I'm not agree with you. DOS will never die. It seems it is become
> cross-platform OS (coz almost every OS emulate). What about VBE2.0 -
> You can
> always set 1.2 video mode and remap memory as you wish(probably you
> will need
> to check the exeption's).
> 
>                 Bye, WBW&R4U, Eibon/FB....

I have to agree with you, Eibon. DOS will never die. I mean, I love the
thing. I installed Windows ME, noticed it had no real mode DOS so I put
Win98 SE back on (notice how it takes nearly 30 minutes just to make a
frickin boot disk under ME?).

As for the VBE thing... my program (DJGPP C) just sets the mode using
the BIOS function 0x4F02. If al returns 1, obviously the mode can't be
set - for VBE 2.0 OR 1.2... basically, after it sets the mode, I check
if a linear frame buffer is available and if not, I use a banked
buffer... but if the video card doesn't even switch modes, the issue of
VBE versions doesn't even come up. I'm incredibly disappointed cuz I
LOATHE Windows programming. I LIKE the low-level DOS stuff working with
bits, registers and assembly and things like that. Windows takes all
that away from me. EVIL WINDOWS!!!! BURRRRN! :) I know you can do
Windows programming in Assembly (before y'all start flaming me for
being a die-hard DOS fan) but there isn't much "assembly" in there.
They're almost all calls to the Windows API. Anyway, methinks it's time
for me to write some emails to Assus (my friend has an Assus V660
GForce256 w/ 32 MB RAM). Oh, and before someone metions it, I know it's
spelt "Asus". But seriously, if MY card (which happens to be an ATI
Rage LT Pro II w/ 2 MB RAM.... and it's onboard... eww) can handle the
video modes, the Assus card should as well. :)

Cheers,
Sharvil Nanavati

P.S. Mwahahaha... I got to rant! Serves 'em right for giving me a hard
time! :)

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