-=> /* Quoting Jonathan de Boyne Pollard to Frank Sexton */ <=-
 JdBP> The reason that many people recommend Boot Manager
 JdBP> over Dual Boot is that this argument was hashed out
 JdBP> long ago in the public networks.
Yes, technically.  However, I think the folks doing all the
"hashing out" in the networks are much more capable of
repartitioning their existing primary drive (without
disaster) than the average user.  Potential technical
superiority of any given method is just one factor in a
decision like this.
You can disagree with me if you like, but, I support
"average users" everyday and I can tell you that *maybe* 1
out of 20 of 'em really understand the ramifications of
deleting and recreating a partition.  About that many
understand why partitioning is even necessary in the first
place.  And, even more important, they don't care.  They
just use a computer to get the job done, not as a hobby.
Now there is nothing wrong with doing this stuff as a hobby
(I do) and there is nothing wrong with using a computer for
business (I do too), but, this difference of purpose can be
the ultimate decision maker when it comes to deleting
partitions on a "perfectly good hard drive" :-).  There are
many factors to consider including the experience level of
the operator, the desired end-goal, the acceptable risk
threshold of the user etc.
I'll bet 80 percent of home users didn't even install their
existing operating system and probably have never installed
one at all.  I think it's somewhat unrealistic to expect
very many home users to work out all this Boot Manager and
partitioning stuff.  Hence, IBM's "default" of Dual Boot.
Load it over DOS and you're on your way.  Best of both
worlds.  When you get more experience, reconsider.  Nothing
lost if you have to repartition later rather than sooner.
It is important to note though that those were the days of
DOS/Win31.  Nowadays, with Win95, things have changed
somewhat.  Dual Boot is probably much less attractive.  But
it's still okay for an occasional boot to DOS and/or Win31.
If that's all you want to do.
-Frank
(fsexton@xpert.net - http://www.concentric.net/~fsexton)
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30
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