Re: [Freedos-devel] A call to action - FreeDOS 1.1 (fwd)

[Eric A. <eric@CoLi.Uni-SB.DE>]

I think this accidentally went to the owners instead of the list...

> Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:02:04 -0430
> From: Marco Achury <mar...@gm...>
> Subject: Re: [Freedos-devel] A call to action - FreeDOS 1.1

My comments about:

For next release:

- Emergency / Base floppy distribution is OK, I agree with max 3 diskettes base
system.  If someone really want a full floppy install, the base must to include
backup-restore programs, so you can boot on a cdrom an create a set of floppies,
is a really crazy to manage +100 floppies distribution but if you insist...

- Version number.  What version number return s Int21h Functions 30h and 3306h?
Some programs refuse to work if version numbers is under 3.0.  Some DOS programs
using long file name expect to get a version number higher than 6.  May be we
can use those MS-DOS API tu return a MS-DOS compatible number and use another
function for specific FreeDOS Version.

- Fax software

- A free USB mass storage driver and a USB stick distribution.  Able to boot
from USB or to execute DOS on virtual machine as DSL does.  As portable as
CD-live but with read-write file system so you can save for files.



For future long term releases:  If we want go beyond a simple toy or emergency
tool, the people must to find the things usual on modern OS.  This is my dreamed
DOS system:

- More multitasking abilities, even better, several virtual machines running
each a DOS instance running full screen.  This would the best ever game
platform.  Something like DOS-SHELL did on MS-DOS 5.0.  But with new hardware
and virtual machines is possible a real multitasking more than a simple task
switcher.  No windowed apps or graphics environment, simply a hotkey to go task
manager and control control panel (e.g. Ctrl-Alt-T or Ctrl-Esc).  Don't waste
all Alt-F* key as linux does, as programs as WP can access the Alt-F*
combinations).  The windowed apps is a big complication, and needs bloated
windows managers.  My proposal is full screen multitasking and full screen
control panel /task switcher.  The control panel with ability to configure to
"freeze" a task or keep it running on background when switch to another task, so
if you are playing "DOOM" and the boss comes, and you change to your bussiness
app, you don't get screams on the speaker, but you your mail client can look for
new messages while you doing something else.  If I would like a windowed system
I would run DOS apps on Windows or Linux DOSEMU.  I want a real DOS fullscreen
with multitasking, a simple, ligth and fast platform for games or working.

- A clipboard so programs can share copy and text and graphics.  This may a TSR
hotkey to copy,
paste text may be directed to standar input, as MS-Windows does with DOS
programs, but paste graphics requires a new API.  On my dreamer multitasking,
this may be one more task.  On current monotasking, the TSR simply save to a
file copied text or graphics.

- A better full screen printer spool wich receive printing.  Also go there with
TSR hotkey or from my dreamed multitasking control panel.

-- 
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Marco A. Achury
Caracas, Venezuela
www.geocities.com/marcoachury