Posted by Michael Cook on 12, 2001 at 2:06 PM:
In Reply to: hmmm. crappy dos ........or none at all...n/t posted by d88 on 12, 2001 at 11:33 AM:
Why is everyone so stuck on DOS? All right, I'll confess, I'm just starting out on my first MAME cabinate (converting a Phoenix cab).
Why do we have to sacrifice all of the benefits of windows to run in DOS? Okay it boots fast, and you save a little processor overhead, but you loose so much. No accelerated video (well vesa for what it's worth), tiny selection of sound cards (and worse, almost imposible to find drivers), lousy memory handling - all to run a system that's gone unsupported for years.
Windows is surprisingly hackable. In win98 you can easily change the bootup screen and shutdown screens to your own pics and if you find or build a proper front end and use it as a shell replacement, no one would know your actually in windows. Without explorer as your shell you save a lot of proccessor overhead, and I doubt you'd even notice it at all on a fast machine (which you need anyway to play newer games).
Sorry for the long post/rant but, really why is everyone stuck on DOS??? Tell me please if I'm missing something.
ps. I know the best front ends are in DOS, but it's just a matter of time before more decent windows front ends start coming up.