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By Graeme Wearden
Posted on ZDNet News: Sep 7, 2006 2:44:00 PM

The FreeDOS project, an attempt to create an open-source alternative to Microsoft's MS-DOS operating system, has finally reached a major milestone.

After years of work, version 1.0 of FreeDOS is now available for download from the project team's Web site.

The operating system can be installed on a PC and used to run DOS programs. It can also be used in embedded devices such as cash registers.

The FreeDOS project began 12 years ago, after Microsoft released the last official standalone version of MS-DOS.

"FreeDOS 1.0 is a major milestone that has finally been released. By now, we have a stable and viable MS-DOS replacement," the project team said this week. Recent improvements to the package include long file name support in several applications, including a free CD-ROM driver, FAT32 file system support within the kernel and most other applications, and improved stability within the HIMEM device driver and EMM386 memory manager.

Earlier versions of FreeDOS have been available for some time and are sometimes shipped on PCs that don't come with a commercial operating system.

Microsoft recently urged system vendors not to sell so-called naked PCs, though such computers can appeal to people who want to run Linux on their new machine or IT managers who have a volume-licensing deal with Microsoft and don't want to pay for another copy of Windows.

Graeme Wearden of ZDNet UK reported from London.

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A better swap
My 1955 Ferrari will run circles around your "Bimmer". Older is often better. (Read the rest)
Posted by: cdgoldin Posted on: 11/07/06 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
M$ loses another cash cow  Linux Geek | 09/07/06
Ummm, they haven't sold DOS in years  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/07/06
you are ignorant  Linux Geek | 09/07/06
Grey market doesn't count moron....  JoeMama_z | 09/07/06
dude...  Linux Geek | 09/07/06
and those companies are wasting thier money...  JoeMama_z | 09/07/06
LG is not a COMPLETE Moron  Bob G Beechey | 09/07/06
Another way to look at it.  slim-01 | 09/08/06
Hmmm. An OS without support?  John Zern | 09/07/06
No. (NT)  Zogg | 09/08/06
Do you even know what they are talking about?  rock06r | 09/10/06
Well, this gives new life so some old DOS programs.  DonnieBoy | 09/07/06
Or just run them in Windows.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/07/06
Ummm in case you haven't noticed  Linux User 147560 | 09/07/06
Hasn't been scaled back, just hasn't been enhanced  PB_z | 09/07/06
But NT never included a "real" DOS  rdwhitti | 09/07/06
from what i understand.....  JoeMama_z | 09/07/06
You name the DOS app...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/07/06
but almost no one.....  JoeMama_z | 09/07/06
Registers  petteyg359 | 09/07/06
10s of thousands can't keep a company alive if they are giving it away free  ajole | 09/07/06
Games..  Patrick Jones | 09/07/06
Really? Can you name one.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/07/06
You obviously have no clue  voska | 09/07/06
Yes..  Patrick Jones | 09/07/06
Sound issues  voska | 09/07/06
Voska...  Patrick Jones | 09/07/06
Will have to check those out  voska | 09/07/06
AutoCAD for DOS ver 12 with Pharlap DOS extender  osreinstall | 09/07/06
Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, by LucasArts.  ajole | 09/07/06
Detroit, Terminal Velocity  CobraA1 | 09/08/06
CobraA1 - Terminal Velocity  Patrick Jones | 09/08/06
For those who want to run DOS games, BTW  CobraA1 | 09/08/06
I have box of old DOS games  voska | 09/07/06
Because they are still fun!  Patrick Jones | 09/07/06
Nostalgia  voska | 09/07/06
I keep an old PC  rdwhitti | 09/07/06
There are exceptions to every rule  voska | 09/07/06
We have an important DOS app  Michael Kelly | 09/07/06
Here's one - teach me  mfrap | 09/07/06
Have you tried Virtual PC?  Patrick Jones | 09/07/06
If you have a dedicated machine, you do not want it booting to Windows  DonnieBoy | 09/07/06
Space Invaders???  rock06r | 09/10/06
This does nothing  nucrash | 09/07/06
Prove open source is up to date  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/07/06
Don Rupert, prove you are right for once  #_z | 09/07/06
You'd be suprised how many dos applications are still in use out there  zmud | 09/07/06
sadly....  JoeMama_z | 09/07/06
Hmmm...  jasonp@... | 09/07/06
hmmmm....  JoeMama_z | 09/07/06
That logic works until...  3D0G | 09/07/06
Hmmm, ever hear of maintenance?  ajole | 09/07/06
Have to consider business continutity also...  Spikey_Mike | 09/08/06
Let's see... Rule #1  rock06r | 09/10/06
Ignorance driving the ignorant  cdgoldin | 11/07/06
As long as they have a good backup system  zmud | 09/07/06
Backup is some insurance....  JoeMama_z | 09/07/06
And this...  zkiwi | 09/07/06
Why would anyone want to crack...  rock06r | 09/10/06
What's to fix  slim-01 | 09/07/06
Or perhaps...  LeeC | 09/07/06
This may be illegal...  Mike Cox | 09/07/06
Message has been deleted.  MLHACK | 09/07/06
EULA?  jobollin@... | 09/07/06
Its not illegal  coreyhaskin | 09/07/06
Why not use DOS?  dayjm | 09/07/06
Yes... that is very.....  rock06r | 09/10/06
There is NO EULA....  kokuryu | 09/07/06
Where've you been?  teddybairs1 | 09/07/06
The fishing is great!  mujadaddy | 09/07/06
Fish for dinner tonight  zmud | 09/08/06
and swapping spit and.....  Jay E Court | 09/07/06
Trollin', Trollin' Trollin, keep those trout a-rollin'  ajole | 09/07/06
Bravo!!!  jlhenry62 | 09/07/06
Throw them back Mike, grenades are not allowed.  osreinstall | 09/07/06
Lookit all the newbies! Thanks Mike!  Mazdaman | 09/07/06
Out for breakfast or out to lunch?  PCcritic | 09/08/06
I vote "Out to Lunch"  dumptux | 09/09/06
Another one that needs to get the hook out of his mouth.  osreinstall | 09/09/06
Of course M$ doesn't like naked computers  DarthRidiculous | 09/07/06
Hog wash...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/07/06
Oh now ya done it!  Linux User 147560 | 09/07/06
MS Doesn't Want You To Have A Choice  itanalyst | 09/07/06
Hmmmm. And what company does?  John Zern | 09/07/06
Re: Hmmmm. And what company does?  slim-01 | 09/07/06
Nonsense. Open Source means that source code must be available.  Zogg | 09/07/06
Speaking of naked computers...  NonZealot | 09/07/06
NonZealot is non-knowing.  nomorems | 09/07/06
why would I buy a PC with FreeDos?  voska | 09/07/06
You really don't.  osreinstall | 09/07/06
You're getting too specific  voska | 09/07/06
Specific is clarity  osreinstall | 09/07/06
Now there's an idea!!!  jlhenry62 | 09/07/06
Um, MS does sell computers  NonZealot | 09/07/06
Do you know what an Xbox is?  teddybairs1 | 09/07/06
Dude, expand your idea of computers...  ajole | 09/07/06
OEM choice  Anti_Zealot | 09/07/06
I hope you're just being funny...  rock06r | 09/10/06
Don't buy it from Apple  voska | 09/07/06
No company is forced to sell Windows  NonZealot | 09/07/06
should have to sell  voska | 09/07/06
Learn history!  bportlock | 09/07/06
That's what most companies do  voska | 09/07/06
Ah, but that's different!  NetArch. | 09/07/06
Thanks for the history lesson  NonZealot | 09/07/06
But no one lives in history.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/07/06
What about Apple's monopoly?  ken_ballard@... | 09/07/06
Nothing wrong with a monopoly  NonZealot | 09/07/06
Re: Nothing wrong with a monopoly  ken_ballard@... | 09/07/06
Uhhh, bp . . .  jlhenry62 | 09/07/06
You want history?  zedman2006 | 09/07/06
The demand for Linux is there  slim-01 | 09/07/06
Remember - Jobs GAVE away Apples?  kbrady@... | 09/07/06
What you say makes more sense now  Michael Kelly | 09/07/06
BIG difference  DarthRidiculous | 09/07/06
Apple sheep get confused by choice  NonZealot | 09/07/06
re: Apple sheep get confused by choice  shidokan@... | 09/07/06
Correction....  ken_ballard@... | 09/07/06
He was right  osreinstall | 09/07/06
Just a thought...  jjarman | 09/07/06
Follow the technical specs...  rock06r | 09/10/06
Too bad I'm not an Apple sheep  DarthRidiculous | 09/07/06
Neener neener  NonZealot | 09/07/06
Well...  zkiwi | 09/07/06
What I think is funny is . . .  jlhenry62 | 09/07/06
Oh!..! only Microsoft does that  zedman2006 | 09/07/06
Well...  zkiwi | 09/07/06
Memory lane  whisperycat | 09/07/06
Good point...  TroyW | 09/07/06
Memory lane  whisperycat | 09/07/06
Yippee, break out the champagne  LordLiverpool | 09/07/06
Memory management is key  Roger Ramjet | 09/07/06
You are bringing back nightmares  toadlife | 09/07/06
Are you guys retro nuts or something??  d6564 | 09/07/06
Easy..  Patrick Jones | 09/07/06
So simple  LordLiverpool | 09/08/06
Nope..  Patrick Jones | 09/08/06
Dosbox  slim-01 | 09/07/06
So I can play Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, of course...  ajole | 09/07/06
Preparing to catch flak  Shelendrea | 09/07/06
If you actually like DOS...  Henry Miller | 09/07/06
and if you like to try a free CLI for OS X go to...  Arm A. Geddon | 09/07/06
No flak...  Patrick Jones | 09/07/06
Command prompt XCOPY is much easier and more stable  zmud | 09/07/06
Same here  ken_ballard@... | 09/07/06
Excellent, now I dont have to buy Vista  PaddyOmaddy | 09/07/06
And that makes everyone happy.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 09/07/06
LOL That made me laugh  voska | 09/07/06
Why did you think you needed to? (nt)  zedman2006 | 09/07/06
DOS is mightily outdated  outlaw640 | 09/07/06
Well, DOS is easier for a lot of stuff,  ajole | 09/07/06
(nt)DOS is "stable" cause it doesn't do much  toadlife | 09/07/06
So is ISA, and floppies  hawkeyeaz1 | 09/07/06
Oh, and yes, they run DOS too...  hawkeyeaz1 | 09/07/06
Record locking?  alvaroafernandez | 09/07/06
Xtree Gold  slim-01 | 09/07/06
Xtree Gold was good...  TroyW | 09/07/06
XTree was great for DOS  roadbiker | 09/07/06
nomorems is non-knowing  Bob G Beechey | 09/07/06
Why Open Source Doesn't Work  erniescar99 | 09/07/06
MS-DOS Timeline?  pj_mouse | 09/07/06
MS-DOS origins  curtcalhoun | 09/07/06
No not CPM86  mobrien_12@... | 09/07/06
A DOS by any other name...  pj_mouse | 09/07/06
Explain...  zkiwi | 09/07/06
Dos  Business46 | 09/07/06
Just run them in Linux !  j.dupont | 09/07/06
True  mobrien_12@... | 09/07/06
Dosbox & Dosemu  slim-01 | 09/08/06
See ya Microsoft!  opus_two | 09/07/06
Yep...  LordLiverpool | 09/08/06
The new phone book is here!  Uber Dweeb | 09/07/06
freeDOS  thedarkstar | 09/08/06
A better swap  cdgoldin | 11/07/06
Cool I can run my old DOS games on my 486  Species8472 | 09/08/06
Programmers Lost 12 Years ago - Found  jpr75_z | 09/08/06
Did you mean 22 years ago? ....  michael_t | 09/08/06
HA, HA, HA!  Linux Geek | 09/08/06
Smoke and Mirrors and the clueless  Dr_Zinj | 09/08/06
XTree Program was...  linkerm@... | 09/08/06
Dos 5 was the last decent OS made by Microsoft  slim-01 | 09/08/06
I stopped using msdos at around the 2.1 era.... happy  michael_t | 09/08/06
Microsoft hardship making people stronger  slim-01 | 09/08/06
You're more like competing religions  Boot_Agnostic | 09/08/06
Why not bring everything back  whoozhe@... | 09/08/06
DOS is even questionably better than CP/M ...  michael_t | 09/08/06

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