Difference between revisions of "MS-DOS"

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[[Image:MS-DOS.jpg|thumb|256x256px|MS-DOS v6.22.]]
 
[[Image:MS-DOS.jpg|thumb|256x256px|MS-DOS v6.22.]]
  
'''''MS-DOS''''' is a command line operating system developed and published by [[Microsoft]] in 1981. It was based on QDOS, and initially designed to run on [[IBM]] personal computers, but also ran on IBM clones. It was by-far most popular OS for IBM-type computers throughout its entire release history and saw continual improvements until it was superseded by [[Windows 95]].
+
'''MS-DOS''' is a command line [[operating system]] developed by [[Microsoft]] and first published in 1981. It was based on QDOS, and initially designed to run on [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]]s, but also ran on IBM clones. It was by-far most popular OS for IBM-compatible computers throughout its entire release history and saw continual improvements until it was superseded by [[Windows 95]].
  
My family's first computer came with MS-DOS 5.0, which we later upgraded to 6.22. I've also used version 3.22 on my cousin's Tandy 1000 which I spent a lot of time on.
+
Gaming on MS-DOS was hit or miss. Since graphic and sound hardware was always well behind what was available on video game consoles of the day, action games like shooters and platformers were inferior on DOS. However, games which required a lot of storage space like large adventure and RPG games, as well as games that required a lot of math processing like simulators and 3D rendering, were superior on DOS.
  
MS-DOS can be emulated in most [[Virtual Machine|virtual machines]], but to also emulate various forms of hardware that was popular during the DOS era, you will need a program like [[DOSBox]].
+
MS-DOS can be emulated in most [[Virtual Machine|virtual machines]], but to emulate various forms of hardware that were popular during the DOS era, you will need a program like [[DOSBox]].
 +
 
 +
==Personal==
 +
The first version of MS-DOS I remember using was 3.22 on my cousin's [[Tandy 1000]] which I spent a lot of time on. My family's first computer came with MS-DOS 5.0, which we later upgraded to 6.22. I always gave more leeway to games made for MS-DOS over video game consoles. There was something about the fact that I could see the individual game files and root around in them that made them feel more "real" than games on cartridges where all the data was obscured.
 +
 
 +
==Status==
 +
I have owned computers which had MS-DOS versions 5, 6, and 6.22. I have also used MS-DOS 3.2 a little.
  
 
==Software==
 
==Software==
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: ''See all [[:Category:DOS Software|DOS Software]].''
 
: ''See all [[:Category:DOS Software|DOS Software]].''
  
* [[AdLib Visual Composer]]
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<gallery>
* [[Creative Voice Editor]]
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AdLib Visual Composer - DOS - USA.jpg|[[AdLib Visual Composer]]
* [[MS-DOS Editor]]
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Creative Voice Editor - DOS - Screenshot - About.png|[[Creative Voice Editor]]
* [[The New Print Shop]]
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MS-DOS Editor - DOS - Screenshot - Title Screen.png|[[MS-DOS Editor]]
* [[PKZip]]
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New Print Shop, The - DOS - Box - Cover.jpg|[[The New Print Shop]]
* [[Point & Shoot]]
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PKZip - DOS - Screenshot - PKZip.png|[[PKZip]]
* [[Windows 3]]
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Point & Shoot - DOS - Screenshot - Menu.png|[[Point & Shoot]]
 +
Windows 3 - DOS - USA.jpg|[[Windows 3]]
 +
</gallery>
  
 
===Games===
 
===Games===
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God of Thunder - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[God of Thunder]]''
 
God of Thunder - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[God of Thunder]]''
 
Hugo's House of Horrors - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Hugo's House of Horrors]]''
 
Hugo's House of Horrors - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Hugo's House of Horrors]]''
King's Quest IV - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella]]''
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King's Quest IV - Perils of Rosella, The - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella]]''
King's Quest V - DOS - USA - CD-ROM.jpg|''[[King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder!]]''
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King's Quest V - Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder! - DOS - USA - CD-ROM.jpg|''[[King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder!]]''
 
Lemmings - AMI - USA.jpg|''[[Lemmings]]''
 
Lemmings - AMI - USA.jpg|''[[Lemmings]]''
 
Loom - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Loom]]''
 
Loom - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Loom]]''
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Raptor - Call of the Shadows - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Raptor: Call of the Shadows]]''
 
Raptor - Call of the Shadows - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Raptor: Call of the Shadows]]''
 
Scorched Earth - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[Scorched Earth]]''
 
Scorched Earth - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[Scorched Earth]]''
Silpheed - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Silpheed]]''
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Silpheed - Super Dogfighter - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Silpheed: Super Dogfighter]]''
 
SimAnt - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[SimAnt]]''
 
SimAnt - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[SimAnt]]''
SimCity - DOS - USA - 1st Edition.jpg|''[[SimCity]]''
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SimCity - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[SimCity]]''
 
SimCity 2000 - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[SimCity 2000]]''
 
SimCity 2000 - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[SimCity 2000]]''
 
SkyRoads - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[SkyRoads]]''
 
SkyRoads - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[SkyRoads]]''
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==Review==
 
==Review==
 
===Good===
 
===Good===
* The OS environment of MS-DOS was pretty stable.
+
* The environment of MS-DOS was pretty stable.
 
* Each version included fairly large improvements, though many of them weren't always seen by the average user.
 
* Each version included fairly large improvements, though many of them weren't always seen by the average user.
* Most versions of the OS included a free (but crippled) version of a BASIC programming language, like [[GW-BASIC]] and [[QuickBASIC|QBASIC]].
+
* Most versions of the OS included a free (but crippled) version of a [[BASIC]] programming language, like [[GW-BASIC]] and [[QuickBASIC|QBASIC]].
  
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
* Very little in the way of interface was ever added to the OS. You mostly look at a black and gray screen that can't be customized. Version 4 added a mouse-driven DOS Shell, and version 5 included a pretty nice editor, but much more could have been done.
+
* Very little in the way of interface was ever added to the OS. You mostly look at a black and gray screen that can't be easily customized. Version 4 added a mouse-driven DOS Shell, and version 5 included a pretty nice editor, but much more could have been done.
 
* The OS was designed for a single user running a single task. So, it is very difficult to have it run for multiple users or multiple tasks. At best, you can invoke a terminate and stay resident (TSR) program.
 
* The OS was designed for a single user running a single task. So, it is very difficult to have it run for multiple users or multiple tasks. At best, you can invoke a terminate and stay resident (TSR) program.
* Altering OS configurations (Config.sys) and default starting procedures (AutoExec.bat) is very cryptic, but frequently necessary.
+
* Altering OS configurations (Config.sys) and default starting procedures (AutoExec.bat) is very cryptic, but frequently necessary. Also, any change usually meant a mandatory reboot of your PC.
 
* Out of the box, MS-DOS only supports a couple dozen commands and couldn't do very much. Third-party software is a must if you want to do something with your computer.
 
* Out of the box, MS-DOS only supports a couple dozen commands and couldn't do very much. Third-party software is a must if you want to do something with your computer.
 
* By giving programmers direct access to hardware, it is possible for poorly written software to crash a computer.
 
* By giving programmers direct access to hardware, it is possible for poorly written software to crash a computer.
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===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===
 
* Hardware limitations lasted too long and made it very difficult to make complicated hardware and software. Half-assed attempts were made to get beyond the 640K memory barrier with expanded and extended memory, but it was always difficult to use. Hard drive limitations always lagged behind, and DOS remained 16-bit until the release of [[Windows 95]].
 
* Hardware limitations lasted too long and made it very difficult to make complicated hardware and software. Half-assed attempts were made to get beyond the 640K memory barrier with expanded and extended memory, but it was always difficult to use. Hard drive limitations always lagged behind, and DOS remained 16-bit until the release of [[Windows 95]].
* MS-DOS has several undocumented APIs specifically added to make it difficult for competitors to run software originally written for MS-DOS. This resulted in a pretty big anti-trust lawsuit the Microsoft had to settle.
+
* MS-DOS has several undocumented APIs specifically added to make it difficult for competitors to run software originally written for MS-DOS. This resulted in a pretty big anti-trust lawsuit that Microsoft had to settle.
  
==Gallery==
+
==Media==
 +
===Infographics===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
 
List of Worthwhile DOS Games.jpg|A list of worthwhile DOS games.
 
List of Worthwhile DOS Games.jpg|A list of worthwhile DOS games.
 
Top DOS Games.jpg|Another list of good DOS games.
 
Top DOS Games.jpg|Another list of good DOS games.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 +
 +
===Videos===
 +
{{#ev:youtube|k2v7k-wAm2E|256|inline|The 8-Bit Guy, best laptop for DOS gaming.|frame}}
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-DOS en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-DOS] - Wikipedia.
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{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-DOS}}
* [http://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/dos mobygames.com/browse/games/dos] - MobyGames.
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{{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/dos}}
 +
{{Link|VGMPF|2=http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/index.php?title=DOS}}
 +
{{Link|ModdingWiki|http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki}}
 +
 
 
* [https://winworldpc.com/product/ms-dos/1x winworldpc.com/product/ms-dos/1x] - Win World PC - MS-DOS.
 
* [https://winworldpc.com/product/ms-dos/1x winworldpc.com/product/ms-dos/1x] - Win World PC - MS-DOS.
* [http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki shikadi.net/moddingwiki] - Modding Wiki - DOS game modding.
 
 
* [http://www.shdon.com/dos shdon.com/dos] - Programming for DOS.
 
* [http://www.shdon.com/dos shdon.com/dos] - Programming for DOS.
 
* [https://www.classicdosgames.com classicdosgames.com] - Download free DOS games.
 
* [https://www.classicdosgames.com classicdosgames.com] - Download free DOS games.

Revision as of 22:23, 19 May 2020

File:MS-DOS.jpg
MS-DOS v6.22.

MS-DOS is a command line operating system developed by Microsoft and first published in 1981. It was based on QDOS, and initially designed to run on IBM PCs, but also ran on IBM clones. It was by-far most popular OS for IBM-compatible computers throughout its entire release history and saw continual improvements until it was superseded by Windows 95.

Gaming on MS-DOS was hit or miss. Since graphic and sound hardware was always well behind what was available on video game consoles of the day, action games like shooters and platformers were inferior on DOS. However, games which required a lot of storage space like large adventure and RPG games, as well as games that required a lot of math processing like simulators and 3D rendering, were superior on DOS.

MS-DOS can be emulated in most virtual machines, but to emulate various forms of hardware that were popular during the DOS era, you will need a program like DOSBox.

Personal

The first version of MS-DOS I remember using was 3.22 on my cousin's Tandy 1000 which I spent a lot of time on. My family's first computer came with MS-DOS 5.0, which we later upgraded to 6.22. I always gave more leeway to games made for MS-DOS over video game consoles. There was something about the fact that I could see the individual game files and root around in them that made them feel more "real" than games on cartridges where all the data was obscured.

Status

I have owned computers which had MS-DOS versions 5, 6, and 6.22. I have also used MS-DOS 3.2 a little.

Software

The following is software developed for MS-DOS that is important to me.

Applications

See all DOS Software.

Games

See all DOS Games.

Programming Languages

Hardware

This is hardware that is compatible with MS-DOS and important to me.

Review

Good

  • The environment of MS-DOS was pretty stable.
  • Each version included fairly large improvements, though many of them weren't always seen by the average user.
  • Most versions of the OS included a free (but crippled) version of a BASIC programming language, like GW-BASIC and QBASIC.

Bad

  • Very little in the way of interface was ever added to the OS. You mostly look at a black and gray screen that can't be easily customized. Version 4 added a mouse-driven DOS Shell, and version 5 included a pretty nice editor, but much more could have been done.
  • The OS was designed for a single user running a single task. So, it is very difficult to have it run for multiple users or multiple tasks. At best, you can invoke a terminate and stay resident (TSR) program.
  • Altering OS configurations (Config.sys) and default starting procedures (AutoExec.bat) is very cryptic, but frequently necessary. Also, any change usually meant a mandatory reboot of your PC.
  • Out of the box, MS-DOS only supports a couple dozen commands and couldn't do very much. Third-party software is a must if you want to do something with your computer.
  • By giving programmers direct access to hardware, it is possible for poorly written software to crash a computer.
  • The documentation that comes with DOS (at least with every version I had) isn't very helpful.

Ugly

  • Hardware limitations lasted too long and made it very difficult to make complicated hardware and software. Half-assed attempts were made to get beyond the 640K memory barrier with expanded and extended memory, but it was always difficult to use. Hard drive limitations always lagged behind, and DOS remained 16-bit until the release of Windows 95.
  • MS-DOS has several undocumented APIs specifically added to make it difficult for competitors to run software originally written for MS-DOS. This resulted in a pretty big anti-trust lawsuit that Microsoft had to settle.

Media

Infographics

Videos

The 8-Bit Guy, best laptop for DOS gaming.

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-MobyGames.png  Link-VGMPF.png  Link-ModdingWiki.png