From: xtifr@netcom.com (Chris Waters) Subject: Re: DOS/MS Windows compatibility for Free Software Date: 8 Jun 1992 04:36:17 GMT
In <BpHx9z.I0v@acsu.buffalo.edu> v206gb6c@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (PauL M SchwartZ) writes:
>In article <3295@key.COM>, rburns@key.COM (Randy Burns) writes...
>>I have heard about a program that would allow MS DOS to to be run under
>>Linux under 8086 emulation mode.
>>
>>1) A kernel hack that would allow MS Windows 3.0 or 3.1 to run under the
>> DOS emulation mode under Linux. My understanding is that this would
>> essentially involve writing a set of DOS Protected Memory Interface
>> routines.
> This isn't gonna happen. There is no way to access DPMI from the virtual
>8086 mode. The emulation mode thinks it is a 8086 box all by its lonesome.
Hmm, mighty strange that I can access DPMI from OS/2 VDM (DOS) sessions,
and from within DESQview, then. I guarantee that both systems put me in
V86 mode.
>MS Windows 3.0 runs OK under this in real (*yuck*) mode and 3.1 dropped this
>mode all together. Don't expect it to come back for Win 4.0.
No, but DOS and Win3.0 support would make Linux as flexible as OS/2 2.0.
> As of yet the
>Linux project is working on stabilizing the OS itself (and writing a new
>file system (I hope)). THis is far more important than getting MS-DOS to run
>under the system.
Now *this* I have no arguments with! :-)
> The ability to run DOS programs will have a limited effect
>on most users. They haven't gone to some of the relatively well supported
>commercial *ix's that have DOS compatibility because they don't want to go to
>*ix.
Or because they don't want to pay several thousand dollars for a
commercial *ix?
> Additionally, as it has been sited here many times before (the gnu group)
>many commercial users want support rather than a superior system.
Yes, but there are still probably hundreds of thousands of people who
would happily use a free *ix IF (and only if) it allowed them to run
their existing DOS apps.
-- Chris Waters | the insane don't | NOBODY for President! xtifr@netcom.COM| need disclaimers | Because Nobody's perfect!!