[THE Register: Biting the hand the feeds IT] [home] [software] [hardware] [semiconductors] [networks] [the web] [channels] [ONLY THE /Register/ TELLS IT LIKE IT IS] Posted 01/10/99 1:00pm by John [go1] Lettice DOS alive and not very well hidden ----------------------------------------- in Millennium beta [Story Index] ----------------------------------------- It now seems pretty clearly [bootnotes ] established that Microsoft will not Bootnotes: Industry Gossip be removing DOS from Millennium, but early reports form people [The Register Bulletin Board] who've seen Beta 1, which went out The Register Bulletin Board this week, indicate that the attempts to hide Dos instead are at Search and view the Old Site best perfunctory. Microsoft on trial Getting rid of DOS no doubt remains on the MS wishlist, because it Links to Software Sites would make PCs easier to use and more reliable, but as far as ----------------------------------------- Millennium is concerned it looks If you want daily updates on news, enter your email like wishing and doing are two address below, then click the 'Join List' button. different things. For Beta 1 [Image] Microsoft has removed the exit to Dos option from the shutdown menu, Powered by ListBot but according to one tester, "the Bootgui= option is still in the msdos.sys file; the default is '1' which boots to full blown Windows, and if '0' is used, the computer boots to DOS 7.1." The option to press F8 for boot options is also still there. Microsoft might remove this later, but as not many inexperienced users know about it, the company may reckon it isn't likely to cause much trouble. But if that's the case, Microsoft is really just putting off the day when it has to bite the bullet. This may come with Neptune, but that's a 2001 product at best, leaving a big hole between the product with DOS shoved under some camouflage netting and the one with no DOS at all. So, referring back to the PC2001 system design guide issued earlier this year we have a suggestion. PC2001 says that "Microsoft is investigating the development of non-retail versions of Windows 98 and Windows 2000 that will support PC systems that do not use legacy components such as Super I/O, the 8042 controller, and MS-DOS." Presuming that Microsoft is still investigating this, but won't exactly be doing it in Millennium, then there's the time, and probably the demand, for another rev between Millennium and Neptune. Gratuitous Register believe it or not: PC2001 is a joint effort between Microsoft and Intel, and was published around about the same time as Microsoft was sending out the first Millennium pre-beta code. At that time, brave and ambitious things were being said by Microsoft about Millennium as a major effort in the consumer OS market and a key plank of EasyPC. Subsequently, things seem to have gone into rapid reverse, with Millennium earlier this week being described as no big deal, maybe just a service release. Well folks, go back to PC2001, and remember this stuff was written when Millennium was being hyped as a big deal: "Supporting system features being proposed for the next OEM service release of Windows 98 (Windows 'Millennium')... Ahem. ® [Image] [Image] [Image] The Register and its contents are copyright © 1999, Situation Publishing. All rights reserved. Mail: 20-22 Maddox Street, London, W1R 9PG. Tel: +44 (0)171 499 2264 Fax: +44 (0)171 493 5922 Editors: Mike Magee, John Lettice and Drew Cullen. Managing Editor (site): Tony Smith. Managing Editor (news): Sean Fleming Reporters: Tim Richardson and Linda Harrison. Advertising and Sales: Pranav J Osa.