Posted on 05/10/2008 6:02:08 AM PDT by shove_it
> Even the latest Windows version, I believe, runs on top of DOS
No, no, no. That is totally false. Current versions of Windows are derived from Windows NT, which was a total rewrite, was a real operating system, and went into beta about 1992 or so.
One program that ships with Windows is cmd.exe, which looks and works a lot like command.com, which most people think is “DOS”.
Apple OSes have never "run over DOS". Apple's current OS is derived from Unix though.
As for all PCs running off of Unix, yes they CAN run off of versions of Unix (e.g. Linux), but the Windows OS and Unix are two completely different OSes altogether.
No “Blue Screen of Death” with DOS - that was a Windows innovation. DOS was actually a pretty stable OS. After it ceased to be a home computer operating system, people were still using it in embedded systems, and (as in this case) to control scientific instruments. Nowadays they use Linux for that, so DOS is pretty much dead. Then again, NASA is always several years behind the times.
I was running some DOS research software in the lab just this pst week (seriously). Worst part about using DOS on an occasional basis is trying to remember all the commands. Otherwise, it works just fine.
Shuttle HD pics.
In this photo provided by Kroll Ontrack Inc., a data drive that fell from the space shuttle Columbia when it was destroyed in 2003 is shown. During Columbia's fateful final mission, the drive had been used to capture data from a scientific experiment on the way xenon gas flows. (AP Photo/Kroll Ontrack Inc.)
DOS was very useful but had some faults. I actually liked DOS and found it easy to understand and use, but all things fade away eventually.
I am always amazed ,and a bit aggravated, by those who think everything old is worthless and only today’s latest fad tool,clothing,book, or whatever should be used. I certainly would want only tried,tested,proven reliable equipment if I was somewhere like a space shuttle.(Of course,I have never accepted that fragile tiles glued on the exterior is the best way of building a spacecraft.)
Early Apple had their very own version of DOS,ProDOS was one used with the Apple IIc;DOS simply means disk operating system,and every computer has special code to store and retrieve data from disk drives.
Microsoft sold custom versions of DOS fro several different computers in the 1980s and some manufacturers chose to write their own in-house.
Apple blocked the average user from DOS type computing with the switch to the Macintosh’s graphical interface,but programmers could buy CodeWarrior and other tools that “talked to the hardware”.
The Southron is on RT 1(heading north), a.k.a, S. Washington Ave, Indian River Lagoon Scenic Hwy....
....and the intersection of Main Street.
I couldn't resist the pun. ;^)
Here's a good example of the truth in your opinion.
My mistake. Is DOS now a part of Windows? There is a command to go to the DOS Prompt so, I guess I’m confused.
I understand that. I was responding to the "The computer was running DOS????????????" in post # 3
Yeah, I know what the acronym DOS means. I assumed that he was talking about MS DOS when he said that Macs ran on top of DOS, since that's the "DOS" most people refer to when they say "My computer runs DOS".
And I agree that old (i.e. proven) technology has its place.
I don’t know which is more troublesome, remembering the command line commands for DOS or remembering which windows to drill down through to control Windows? May be the “teaching old dogs new tricks” issue?
yeah? you think so huh??? hit start, then run, then type in cmd and hit return and tell me what happens...
"The true 32-bit versions of Windows starting with NT and including 2003, XP, and Vista, run entirely independent of DOS. Most versions include a DOS subsystem that runs a modified version of MS-DOS 5.0 in a virtual machine for the purpose of running DOS software and Windows command-line programs of similar appearance which are not compatible with true MS-DOS."<
>"Under Linux it is possible to run copies of DOS and many of its clones under DOSEMU, a Linux-native virtual machine for running real mode programs. There are a number of other emulators for running DOS under various versions of UNIX, even on non-x86 platforms, such as DOSBox.
"DOS emulators are gaining popularity among Windows XP users because this system is incompatible with pure DOS. They can be used to run software (often 'abandonware') made for DOS. One of the most famous emulators is DOSBox, designed for game-playing on modern operating systems. Another emulator Tao ExDOS is designed for business & printing solutions. VDMSound is also popular on Windows XP for its GUI and sound support.
It is possible to run DOS applications under a Virtual PC environment, allowing better compatibility than DOS emulators as a legitimate version of MS-DOS can be installed which should allow all but the most stubborn applications to run[5]."
wiki.dos
I think we're getting pretty close to the point where that may not necessarily be true anyomore. A DOS is basically a program for accessing data stored on rotating magnetic storage. It translates the drive's sector/track/cylinder geometry and indexing. Computers like the ASUS Eee's don't really need it. Their SS disk drive interfaces are translating linear memory addresses into drive geometry, and then the processor's DOS is translating the drive geometry back into linear memory addresses for the CPU. Theoretically, you should be able to streamline that arrangement considerably by removing the drive geometry translations, but then it won't be a DOS anymore.
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