Monterey, California-based Digital Research Inc starts shipping its MS-DOS-compatible DR DOS 5.0 later this month: the new release adds MemoryMAX, ViewMAX, FileLINK, BatteryMAX and disk caching, and supports large applications like Xerox Ventura Publisher and Autodesk AutoCAD on a Novell Inc NetWare and other networks. MemoryMAX is a built-in memory management facility that moves the operating system, terminate-and-stay resident programs, buffers and drivers into high memory to provide additional space to run badly written and verbose applications; it detects on installation whether the machine uses an 80286, 80386 or 80486 and configures itself to use the full capabilities. ViewMAX is an IBM Common User Access keystroke-compatible graphical user interface for keyboard or mouse. Under ViewMAX, support for password protected files and subdirectories is fully integrated into the shell. FileLINK is an integrated file transfer utility, and, rather like a virus, installs itself from one machine to the other via the seri al link to exchange files with less clever MS-DOS machines. Disk-caching enables the user, at installation, to decide how much memory to use for caching. And the company has applied for a patent on BatteryMAX, de signed to enable manufacturers to integrate software and hardware battery-saving tech niques into future lap-top designs. DR-DOS 5.0 is priced to be sold to users at $200.
