Raymond Chen explained the complexities behind the Windows 95 setup process, designed to streamline the installation through multiple applications regardless of whether it was initiated in MS-DOS or Windows. Although MS-DOS could theoretically manage graphics, it would have required extensive additional coding to create a functionally rich graphical interface, which Windows already provided. This architecture allowed engineers to focus on a single set of code for setup, enhancing the user experience significantly while addressing the limitations of MS-DOS.
Yes, MS-DOS could do graphics, in the sense that it didn't actively prevent you from doing graphics. However, other than a BIOS call to plot a pixel on the screen, it didn't do much else.
Now take a step back and look at what you're doing. You're writing an operating system. (Or, if you're being charitable, you're writing an MS-DOS shell.)
It was a neat solution - engineers only needed to come up with one set of code regardless of where a user fired up the setup.
Chen's patient explanation is that while MS-DOS could manage graphics, it lacked the necessary features and functionality of a more developed graphical interface.
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