Or are you all just windows programmers. Because everyone seems to being going about APIs, OpenGl and other windows programming stuff. I am the onlt DOS programmer here stuck in the dark ages of DOS ????????? Dark Star

A lot of people have moved from DOS to Windows programming of late, largely because of lack of demand for DOS games/apps (and also because the driver abstraction in DirectX/OpenGL makes coding easier once you get your head around the new approach required). However, enough people here have experience with DJGPP, Allegro, etc. that I''m sure if you have a specific DOS related question somebody can answer it.

I program in DOS too. why? because windows
has nothing to offer me - yet. Im just beginning
to program my own 3d graphics software engine in
DOS. because if I can make that, windows will be
simpler to learn. =)
[ and I cant lie, Im still biased to dos. somehow,
for some reason, I still like dos. however, I am not
ignorant either, and I know windows is where its at
as of right now. but Im not in this for a commercial
game (yet), I just want to have phun! ]

I program in DOS a fair bit as well. I think there is a very big difference between a DOS programmer and a Windows programmer. With the amount of windows programming I''ve been doing lately I''ve come to a conclusion. Not to knock Windows programmers or anything, but there isn''t near as much SKILL required to program windows apps, skill has nothing to do with it, it''s about knowledge if you are a windows programmer. DOS programming requires alot of skill, especially in 3D engines. Having to write all the software texture mapping, bilinear filtering, lighting/light mapping is a much more skilled task than a "knowledge based" task like DirectX/Windows, knowing which functions to call and where to declare things (and there''s way too many declarations involved in windows programming) isn''t perhaps as mathematically complicated as writing a DOS-based equivelent program. And I''m sure if a 32-bit DOS was written that had DirectX support for it, all you windows ppl would jump at the oppurtunity

Before a year ago, I HATED Windows, I only programed in DOS and made a Side Scrolling game, and some 3d Examples. I agree that it is harder to put up 3d graphics in DOS than in windows, but to make a Engine is just as hard in WINDOWS as in DOS. Sometimes harder than DOS because you cant access everything you want as easily. So, 2 make and 3d "DEMO" or "Example", yes its much harder in DOS, but to make a 3D Game, You cant use all everyone elses code so, I say Windows might actualy be harder.

As I have mentioned many times before... You don''t *HAVE* to use an API like DirectX or OpenGL. You can make your own routines... and you really should for the most part.

Why not just use the API to setup the video and sound card. Then code your own routines for audio mixing and 3d transformations.

I programmed in DOS for many years, as well as Unix. Having seen the writing on the wall, I''ve moved into Windows programming as well as OO code design. I suggest anybody serious about a career do the same.

I beleieve most of us started out DOS programmers. I still do a little programming in DOS. Mostly file converters, simple tools and algorithm analysis. If you program a game in DOS, and want to sell it, you''ll have to pretend its a Windows game, buy using windows install programs and so on. DOS games are great, you just have to make sure that the below average user can install it and run it easily. I don''t feel that Windows programming requires less skill. If you take care of the windows overhead and create a DIB section you can do all the same stuff as in DOS. When you create a DIB section, you get a pointer to the memory. You can name the pointer video and now you have a pointer to "video memory". Not quite, but it simulates the offscreen buffer most DOS programs used to stop flickering. Then you can bitblt the DIB to your window. APIs are not needed, they just make things easier.

Domini