Linked by Eugenia Loli-Queru on Mon 4th Sep 2006 03:44 UTC, submitted by Velcro_SP
12 years after the project was conceived, and after a long period in which it was useable though incomplete, FreeDOS has reached version 1.0. The ISO is downloadable at SourceForge. Versions with more extras should be available soon, as should a mail-order option.
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Member since:
2005-07-03
Please tell me a few. I am curious. Also please chose the ones for which there is no modern alternative.
Sure, although I don't see why I have to exclude those who have no "modern alternative". That's simply not fair. It's like trying to convince a writter who uses a Mechanical Typing Machine that he's wrong, because "there are modern alternatives". You have no power to decide anything, you just want to know how many business rely on DOS? Ok... let me name you a few...
a) Supermercados Estrella: Spain. The Cash Registers are quite old, they run a software under DOS. They must've been modern when they brought 'em (that's how they look).
b) Dozens of Bars/Restaurants across Madrid have DOS and some sort of Clipper software to handle the business. If you visit Madrid, I can show you at least 4. (One of them runs it under Windows 2000, altough the software is DOS based).
c) AENA Barajas Intl' Airport: The old Terminal 1, runs (although the new terminal 4 uses W2k/XP) a Novell Network (i've seen it booting quite a few times) to display Timetables for arrivals/departures. I've seen PC-DOS booting there.
d) Airbus A340: The big airbus uses Caldera DR-DOS for its internal GPS software (me->pilot). It crashes from time to time, so you have to reboot the whole thing (don't worry, it has nothing to do with the aircraft flying systems)
e) CEPSA Gas Station: Although these are being replaced as we speak, it was very easy to see the old DOS terminals controlling the Fuel flow... the screen colors were UGLY (brown/black). DOS Developers had to really make magic with the limited amount of colors...
f) A *LOT* of DrugStores are using DOS software (at least in Spain, and I've seen one Commodore 128 when I was in vacations in Argentina!!!). They have Epson LX-810 Printers (Dot Matrix). Quite fast. Quite Stable.
g) And since I work with dentists now... let me tell you that I've seen dozens of practice software for dentists written for DOS (mostly clipper, clarion, cobol, etc.) MANY of these doctors are still using them, and their nurses are so used to it, that our modern/windows/.NET/sexy looking/full featured/touchscreen/tabletPC capable/SQL Server backed C# application, doesn't look like a good solution to these people.
I could go on... I have more examples for you.
In the real world, changes are NOT always welcomed.
If it works, don't fix it(tm)
And if you are going to change it, you better have an alternative to work in parallel with the new solution while testing the new scenario.
DOS is and will be used for many years to come. Heck BBVA in spain still uses LAN Manager and OS/2 (altough they have a T3270 emulator now and run the new Compaq Workstations with Windows XP, and the legacy OS/2 app within)
So you see... DOS is not dead.
Now, what do *you* produce with your time that's better than FreeDOS?
;)