Re: DOS Web

JoJo wrote:
> Folks:
> 
> I am interested in how well DOS is able to interact with web pages.
> What DOS code would enable me to launch a web page then click a button
that
> appears on the web page ?
> 
> 
> Thanks
> JoJo

1) microsoft.public.basic.dos is a BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose 
Symbolic Instruction Code) programming language group for BASICs that 
run in a DOS environment. Several decades ago someone thought the 
acronym was clever, and it has caused confusion ever since. That 
confusion has been compounded by Microsoft's use of the form "Basic" on 
some of its packaging instead of the "BASIC" form that would help show 
its status as an acronym. The "dos" segment of the group name reflects 
the relevance of the group to versions of BASIC that run in a Microsoft 
DOS (instead of Windows or Linux) environment. Similarly, 
microsoft.public.vb.dos is a DOS version of Visual "Basic"

2) Many aspects of a web page utilize display elements that simply can't 
be displayed in a single fixed pitch font size text only environment. 
Most DOS based BASIC programming languages aren't particularly powerful 
when it comes to "drawing" text on a graphics environment, which would 
force any potential browser developers to create a LOT of test drawing 
and other user interface code. Graphics based Operating Systems relieve 
the application developer of that burden by providing much of the User 
Interface code ready for their application to use.

3) By the time web browsers started getting wide attention Microsoft was 
selling Windows 95 and Windows NT, IBM was selling OS 2 instead of the 
text and command based DOS environments. Both companies were strongly 
encouraging any further application development be aimed at those GUI 
operating systems.

4) Somewhat less known: Web browsers have a lot in common with the with 
a "card" presentation application Apple was including on their Macintosh 
computers for a while in the neighborhood of 1990. Even then that 
computer was strictly GUI based. That card application had such familiar 
elements as embedded media (sound, pictures and video) and buttons to 
switch to other "cards". The dependence on a GUI OS goes back that far!

So you shouldn't be getting your hopes up.