Can I use Linux to run DOS programs?

[Gerald Combs]

On Thu, 20 Dec 2001, David Carter wrote:

> I have 3 old DOS programs that I want to continue using:  A USAF flight planning program, a Navy 
sunrise-sunset/moonrise-moonset program, and WordPerfect 6.0 for DOS.
>     -  Does Linux "emulate" DOS?  (in some manner analogous to what OS/2 and Windows do?)

DOSEMU (http://www.dosemu.org) might do what you want.  As the name
implies, it's a DOS emulator for Linux.  Raw binaries are available on
the DOSEMU site, and rpmfind.net indicates that pre-built packages are
available for RPM-inclined distributions.

The last time I used DOSEMU I tried to get it to run a 3Com
unpack-the-driver-to-diskette installer.  It didn't work.  I'm not
sure if it was a deficiency of DOSEMU, or because I was using FreeDOS
(http://www.freedos.org) instead of MS-DOS.

BTW, have you looked at native Linux alternatives to the programs you
want to run?  Many word processing applications are available (including
WordPerfect itself).  A couple of quick searches on Freshmeat for "moon"
and "flight" show several text and GUI tools that may also fit your needs.

>     -  If it does, after I install Linux OS and get the system where it is functional (e.g., will 
connect to internet and do e-mail), what steps would I then take to copy the program files for the 
two military programs and "install" WordPerfect (using the install Wizard)?
> 
> David Carter
> dcarter at datarecall.net
> 
>