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Is "DOS graphical interface" an oxymoron? To judge by Symantec Corp.'s Norton Desktop for DOS, the answer is both yes and no. The program's interface is immediately recognizable to anyone who has ever seen Norton Desktop for Windows. The interface presents a row of drive icons for summoning up windows-like drive windows, and the windows' scroll bars and folder icons for files make point-and-click operations a snap.
But there's still no mistaking the fact that you're in a DOS shell. No matter what kind of display card and monitor you have, the most you will get out of the program is a character-based display of 640 by 480 pixels, though the program will let you display 25, 28, 43, or 50 lines per screen. To view a bit-mapped image or to load a program, you have to swap out and go full screen--no resizable windows on this desktop.
If Desktop for DOS can't quite match the look of Windows, however, Symantec has managed to bring much of the functionality of Windows and, specifically, Norton Desktop for Windows, to DOS. To begin with, Desktop for DOS employs the same drag-and-drop approach to managing files, printing, and performing other operations.
Easy-to-use, powerful file management is not all there is to Desktop for DOS. The program includes Symantec's highly rated antivirus program, the new Norton Backup (which includes support for tape drives), a program for remote transfers of data between computers: a disk cache, MCI Mail support, and Norton Disk Doctor (for diagnosing and repairing disks).
In fact, the DOS Desktop improves on the Windows version in a couple of important ways. First, file compression is built in. Second, the Norton Speed Disk optimizing program is also included.
So why bother with Windows? Good as it is, Desktop for DOS doesn't offer Windows' memory management and multitasking, though you can run Windows programs. In short, Norton Desktop for DOS won't convert any current Windows users, but it does offer a welcome alternative to users with machines that can't run Windows efficiently.
Within the DOS world, Desktop's main competitor is Central Point Software's PC Tools. There are countless DOS shells--some with extremely strong file management capabilities--but no other packs in the number of extra features shipped with PC...