Virtual Control Program Interface

Das Virtual Control Program Interface bzw. kurz VCPI ist ein Standard für DOS-Extender, der von Phar Lap Software und Quarterdeck Office Systems in einem joint development agreement ab 1987 gemeinsam entwickelt wurde. VCPI benötigt einen 80386-kompatiblen x86-Prozessor. VCPI wurde von den meisten DOS-Extendern übernommen und im April 1989 als Industriestandard akzeptiert, bevor es nach 1990 vom DOS Protected Mode Interface (DPMI) weitestgehend abgelöst wurde. Zur Wahrung der Kompatibilität mit bestehender DOS-Software unterstützen die meisten DOS-Extender weiterhin VCPI.

Die verbreitete DOS-Speicherverwaltung EMM386 stellt ab der in MS-DOS 5.0, Windows 3.1 und DR DOS 6.0 enthaltenen Version VCPI zur Verfügung.

↑ Ed Scannell: Desqview update offers simultaneous program use. In: Computerworld. Band 11, Nr. 45, 9. September 1987, ISSN 0010-4841, S. 140 (englisch, eingeschränkte Vorschau in der Google-Buchsuche): “…Desqview/386 reportedly will be able to run 32-bit programs on the 80386 because it works with a 386-version of Phar Lap, Inc.’s DOS-Extender. Desqview/386 running Ansa Software Co.’s Paradox 386 data base along with other popular DOS-compatible programs at Comdex/Fall ’87. Paradox 386 is the first to use DOS-Extender. … Through a joint development agreement with Phar Lap, Quarterdeck has built into Desqview/386 the support necessary to run multiple 386/DOS-Extender programs simultaneously with DOS programs…”
↑ Byteweek, Band 2. In: Byteweek. Band 2. Byte Publications, 1989 (englisch, eingeschränkte Vorschau in der Google-Buchsuche): “… VCPI (Virtual Control Program Interface) was jointly developed by Phar Lap and Quarterdeck in 1987 …”
1 2 Ray Duncan: Power Programming – An Introduction to The DOS Protected Mode Interface. In: PC Magazine. Band 10, Nr. 3. Ziff Davis, 12. Februar 1991, S. 365 ff., S. 366 (englisch, eingeschränkte Vorschau in der Google-Buchsuche): “VCPI was developed in 1987 by Phar Lap Software and Quarterdeck Office Systems with a fairly narrow objective: to allow 80386 protected-mode DOS extender applications coexist with 80386-specific memory managers and expanded memory (EMS) emulators such as Qualitas’s 386-to-the-Max and Quarterdeck Office Systems’s QEMM-386. In spite of (or because of) its limited goals, the VCPI was quite successful. It became an accepted industry standard in April 1989, and by 1990 virtually every 80386-specific software product on the market supported or was capable of using the VCPI interface—except for Microsoft’s products.”
↑ Marcus Johnson: PC Programmer's Guide to Low-level Functions and Interrupts. Sams Publishing, 1994, ISBN 0-672-30475-9, S. 889 (englisch, eingeschränkte Vorschau in der Google-Buchsuche): “VCPI (Virtual Control Program Interface) is an extension of EMS that provides a minimal set of services so that a 80386+ protected-mode master supervisor program can retain control of the system …”

[CW_1987_DESQview386_demonstration-1] Ed Scannell: Desqview update offers simultaneous program use. In: Computerworld. Band 11, Nr. 45, 9. September 1987, ISSN 0010-4841, S. 140 (englisch, eingeschränkte Vorschau in der Google-Buchsuche): “…Desqview/386 reportedly will be able to run 32-bit programs on the 80386 because it works with a 386-version of Phar Lap, Inc.’s DOS-Extender. Desqview/386 running Ansa Software Co.’s Paradox 386 data base along with other popular DOS-compatible programs at Comdex/Fall ’87. Paradox 386 is the first to use DOS-Extender. … Through a joint development agreement with Phar Lap, Quarterdeck has built into Desqview/386 the support necessary to run multiple 386/DOS-Extender programs simultaneously with DOS programs…”

[2] Byteweek, Band 2. In: Byteweek. Band 2. Byte Publications, 1989 (englisch, eingeschränkte Vorschau in der Google-Buchsuche): “… VCPI (Virtual Control Program Interface) was jointly developed by Phar Lap and Quarterdeck in 1987 …”

[PCMag_DPMI-3] 1 2 Ray Duncan: Power Programming – An Introduction to The DOS Protected Mode Interface. In: PC Magazine. Band 10, Nr. 3. Ziff Davis, 12. Februar 1991, S. 365 ff., S. 366 (englisch, eingeschränkte Vorschau in der Google-Buchsuche): “VCPI was developed in 1987 by Phar Lap Software and Quarterdeck Office Systems with a fairly narrow objective: to allow 80386 protected-mode DOS extender applications coexist with 80386-specific memory managers and expanded memory (EMS) emulators such as Qualitas’s 386-to-the-Max and Quarterdeck Office Systems’s QEMM-386. In spite of (or because of) its limited goals, the VCPI was quite successful. It became an accepted industry standard in April 1989, and by 1990 virtually every 80386-specific software product on the market supported or was capable of using the VCPI interface—except for Microsoft’s products.”

[4] Marcus Johnson: PC Programmer's Guide to Low-level Functions and Interrupts. Sams Publishing, 1994, ISBN 0-672-30475-9, S. 889 (englisch, eingeschränkte Vorschau in der Google-Buchsuche): “VCPI (Virtual Control Program Interface) is an extension of EMS that provides a minimal set of services so that a 80386+ protected-mode master supervisor program can retain control of the system …”