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 designed to run on [[IBM]] personal computers. It saw continual improvements and was released for a number of similar computers until it was finally superseded by [[Windows 95]]. Until the release of Windows 95, MS-DOS was the primary platform for IBM-compatible PC gaming.
+
'''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OS for IBM-compatible computers throughout its entire release history and saw continual improvements until it was superseded by [[Windows 95]].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 after its release. 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==
Line 11: Line 17:
  
 
===Applications===
 
===Applications===
* [[AdLib Visual Composer]]
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: ''See all [[:Category:DOS Software|DOS Software]].''
* [[Creative Voice Editor]]
+
 
* [[MS-DOS Editor]]
+
<gallery>
* [[MuchMusic]]
+
AdLib Visual Composer - DOS - USA.jpg|[[AdLib Visual Composer]]
* [[Multi Media Machine]]
+
Creative Voice Editor - DOS - Screenshot - About.png|[[Creative Voice Editor]]
* [[The New Print Shop]]
+
Game-Maker - DOS - USA.jpg|[[Game-Maker]]
* [[PKZip]]
+
MS-DOS Editor - DOS - Screenshot - Title Screen.png|[[MS-DOS Editor]]
* [[Point & Shoot]]
+
Nesticle - DOS - Screenshot - Features.png|[[NESticle]]
* [[Windows 3]]
+
New Print Shop, The - DOS - Box - Cover.jpg|[[The New Print Shop]]
 +
PKZip - DOS - Screenshot - PKZip.png|[[PKZip]]
 +
Point & Shoot - DOS - Screenshot - Menu.png|[[Point & Shoot]]
 +
Telemate - DOS - Screenshot - Options.png|[[Telemate]]
 +
Windows 3 - DOS - USA.jpg|[[Windows 3]]
 +
</gallery>
  
 
===Games===
 
===Games===
 
: ''See all [[:Category:DOS Games|DOS Games]].''
 
: ''See all [[:Category:DOS Games|DOS Games]].''
  
* [[7th Guest]]
+
<gallery>
* [[Castle Adventure]]
+
7th Guest, The - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[The 7th Guest]]''
* [[Doom]]
+
Castle Adventure - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[Castle Adventure]]''
* [[Doom II: Hell On Earth]]
+
Commander Keen 4 - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle]]''
* [[God of Thunder]]
+
Doom - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Doom]]''
* [[Loom]]
+
Doom 2 - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Doom II: Hell On Earth]]''
* [[Magic Carpet]]
+
God of Thunder - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[God of Thunder]]''
* [[Master of Magic]]
+
Hugo's House of Horrors - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Hugo's House of Horrors]]''
* [[Raptor: Call of the Shadows]]
+
King's Quest IV - Perils of Rosella, The - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella]]''
* [[Scorched Earth]]
+
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!]]''
* [[SimAnt]]
+
Lemmings - AMI - USA.jpg|''[[Lemmings]]''
* [[SimCity]]
+
Loom - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Loom]]''
* [[SimCity 2000]]
+
Magic Carpet - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Magic Carpet]]''
* [[Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge]]
+
Magic Carpet 2 - W32 - USA.jpg|''[[Magic Carpet 2: The Netherworlds]]''
* [[Swords of Glass]]
+
Master of Magic - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Master of Magic]]''
* [[Ultima VII: The Black Gate]]
+
Might and Magic III - Isles of Terra - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra]]''
* [[Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness]]
+
Raptor - Call of the Shadows - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Raptor: Call of the Shadows]]''
* [[Wolfenstein 3-D]]
+
Scorched Earth - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[Scorched Earth]]''
 +
Silpheed - Super Dogfighter - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Silpheed: Super Dogfighter]]''
 +
SimAnt - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[SimAnt]]''
 +
SimCity - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[SimCity]]''
 +
SimCity 2000 - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[SimCity 2000]]''
 +
SkyRoads - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[SkyRoads]]''
 +
Space Quest II - Vohaul's Revenege - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge]]''
 +
Swords of Glass - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[Swords of Glass]]''
 +
Tank Wars - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[Tank Wars]]''
 +
Ultima VII - Black Gate, The - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Ultima VII: The Black Gate]]''
 +
Warcraft II - Tides of Darkness - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness]]''
 +
Wolfenstein 3D - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[Wolfenstein 3-D]]''
 +
ZZT - DOS - Screenshot - Title.png|''[[ZZT]]''
 +
</gallery>
  
 
===Programming Languages===
 
===Programming Languages===
* [[GW-BASIC]]
+
<gallery>
* [[QuickBASIC]]
+
GW-BASIC - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[GW-BASIC]]''
 +
QuickBASIC - DOS - USA.jpg|''[[QuickBASIC]]''
 +
</gallery>
  
 
==Hardware==
 
==Hardware==
Line 64: Line 90:
 
==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 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 looked at a black and gray screen that couldn'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 was very difficult to have it run multiple users or multiple tasks. At best, you could 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 staring procedures (AutoExec.bat) was very cryptic, but entirely 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 couldn't do very much. Buying third-party software was a must.
+
* 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 interesting with your computer.
* By giving programmers direct access to hardware, it was possible for poorly written software to crash a computer, which happened more frequently than users would have liked.
+
* By giving programmers direct access to hardware, it is possible for poorly written software to crash a computer.
* The documentation that came with DOS (at least with every version I had) wasn't very helpful.
+
* The documentation that comes with DOS (at least with every version I had) isn't very helpful.
  
 
===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 released 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 had 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.
+
{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-DOS}}
* [http://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/dos mobygames.com/browse/games/dos] - MobyGames.
+
{{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.
 
* [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 DOS games.
+
* [https://www.classicdosgames.com classicdosgames.com] - Download free DOS games.
  
  
 
[[Category: Operating Systems]]
 
[[Category: Operating Systems]]
 
[[Category: Video Game Platforms]]
 
[[Category: Video Game Platforms]]

Revision as of 15:49, 21 August 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 interesting 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