Uncreative Labs

Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 589 Location: Shandong, China

The Arachne webpage is a big mess and many of the download links are not working. I managed to find downloads of 1.70R3 and 1.73 online. Version 1.73 crashed my system. 1.70R3 is stable but has a lot of bugs. I know there are some people in here who have been using Arachne on their XTs for a while, so I would like to know what is the best version to use?

I have heard that 1.63 and 1.65 are good choices.

Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 51 Location: czech republic

I was using it, but don't remember version. It is unusable on a slow computer (well I don't think that slow computer exists, but slow OS and slow programs do Smile

. Even 16 MHz V30 CPU was too slow. If you want to use www browser on XT, consider Doslynx. It is much faster and still being developed even for 8088 CPU.

Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 589 Location: Shandong, China

Okay, good to know.

I think with EMS memory, Arachne is tolerable. I don't find the speed to be too bad. It's just really rough around the edges, and the version I am using doesn't seem to display JPG images on an 808x/286.

I'll probably stick with DOSlynx, but I want to get Arachne working as well as possible for entertainment value.

Joined: 29 Mar 2008 Posts: 51 Location: czech republic

As for displaying JPEG images on 808x. I guess Arachne can be set to use external program. If so, then the best program for this I know is LXPIC. Written in assembly language originally for DOS palmtop HP200LX (which has the same specs, 80186, CGA)

Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Posts: 138 Location: Lynnwood,WA

I never even got Arachne to work on my 8086/8088 based machines. On my 80286, it tends to be slow to render, however, it's amazingly capable of rendering things like full-on frames (and mind you, this is a stock 10 MHz Intel 286 running at 12 MHz). For My 8088's, I've been using Minuet, I might change if I can figure out how to make Bobcat work with a LAN connection (I never use Modems anymore, just my DSL broadband), but I spend so much time at work on computers sometimes it kills my hobby sometimes for me and I feel more like playing guitar.

Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 589 Location: Shandong, China

Do you use EMS memory on your 286? It is said EMS makes Arachne run much faster.

Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Posts: 138 Location: Lynnwood,WA

Anonymous Coward wrote:

Do you use EMS memory on your 286? It is said EMS makes Arachne run much faster.

Yep, I try to make as good a use of the hardware availible as possible. At 8MB it's really tolerable for most basic internet stuff on a 286, but without that extra RAM, forget it.