Gunnar Andre Dalsnes -> [my e-mail] for 'Power User': "RE: [ros-general] dos support in reactos" @ 28-Feb-2004, 02:26:03
And btw, there is also DOS support for Linux exists.Hey, what do you expect users to do to launch "old apps" with ROS?Reboot into FreeDOS?:\ What a f.....g way to reboot each time you need to run "old app" :((
GAD> No need to reboot. Just run freedos in an emulator like bochs. Both GAD> are free/open source. This solution will be fast enought for most dos GAD> apps. JFYI I already have bochs for quite long time and unfortunately I have to mention the following things:
- x86 CPU\periferial emulated in software and this is SLOW AS JERK compared to NT's VDM for example (I'm silent about Win'9x\ME :-P). Yeah, SOME programs can work acceptable in this way but really this is quite f....g way too and let's say I doubt any normal user will use this solution.For me I'm only using bochs when testing some potentially harmful stuff (so it can crush only his sandbox) or when it is hard to avoid using it (for example to boot ROS kernel and to see\store debug msgs since on real HW this generally requires 2nd PC and serial cable - bochs is good thing here).For anything else like normal use as dos VM, bochs is unfair choice IMHO.
- Bochs not emulates _all_ HW features or not exactly,etc.I'm understanding that NT's VDM not perfect here too but I'm still rather preferring NT's VDM - at least it is fast enough.
- Does BOCHS capable to switch into fullscreen?I'm unhappy with its window in GUI environment while using for text mode apps.There is rather small font, etc.I'm like to see text mode in FULL screen.And NT's VDM allows it.
Let's say that when NT4 arrived it counted as OS which is not very easy to use and rather poorly compatible since VDM still not a DOS and not Win'9x dos box.But it is still better than noting and rather many DOS apps can run in NT.In '2k\XP DOS support was improved a bit, i.e. even sound via soundcard works in games, etc.Still not perfect but slightly more usable than bochs in this role.
P.S.This is repost.To Gunnar Andre Dalsnes:pls sorry for posting this into your private mailbox instead of ROS list,there was smth wrong\strange im mail headers %-\
Good Bye, Gunnar.See you later. ... Automatically generated by Fidolook SL&My macro ... :P