Random thought on creating a 32-Bit Native DOS...

Just some random thoughts :)

DOS runs natively in 16-bit Real Mode. EMS, and Himem, memory managers (to my best knowledge) provide their services by jumping in and out of Protected Mode. 32-Bit Protected Mode programs use a DOS extender to jump into Protected Mode, and provide 32-Bit services.

A DOS can be created to run in 32-bit Protected Mode by default, to provide DPMI services natively, to emulate EMS/XMS, provide a bi-modal mouse driver, provide a bi-modal keyboard driver, provide a bi-modal timer interrupt, and intercept Real Mode interrupt calls to translate addresses from 16-bit to 32-bit Protected Mode.

Yeah, the Linux console beats DOS. It would be cool to have a 32-bit DOS kernel able to run 32-bit Protected Mode DOS programs natively. One advantage is to open the possibility of 32-bit device drivers.

[Ancient Dragon]

You would be right if there were enough demand for such an operating system. But there isn't, and hasn't been for many years now. If you want a 32-bit DOS then just use *nix. MS-DOS is dead, so leave is dead and buried.

[Schol-R-LEA]

Actually, there is a project to write a 32-bit version of FreeDOS, called (naturally enough) FreeDOS-32. I don't know if it is an active project or not, but you might consider contributing to it if you are genuinely interested in it.

However, as Ancient Dragon said, DOS is pretty much a dead topic, even where OS development is concerned.

Actually, there is a project to write a 32-bit version of FreeDOS, called (naturally enough) FreeDOS-32. I don't know if it is an active project or not, but you might consider contributing to it if you are genuinely interested in it.

Thanks for the heads up! I gave up on 32-bit FreeDOS because nearly 2 years or so passed and the original Beowulf(?) [FreeDOS 32-Bit] kernel did not progress further than a floppy boot image. Nice to see the project has been revamped :)

As for contributing, I'll certainly consider it. I am genuinely interested, but I'd have to play with the source a bit before jumping in.

However, as Ancient Dragon said, DOS is pretty much a dead topic, even where OS development is concerned.

DOS is dead, but I miss it. I know I'm going to get flak for saying this, but DOS could have been more and would have given Windows a run for its money.

[sergent]

I thought DOS ran in segment mode?

I thought DOS ran in segment mode?

DOS runs in segmented mode, and jumps into Protected Mode when needed.

What I'm thinking of is the opposite. DOS would run in 32-bit Protected Mode, and would run old DOS apps in 16-bit vm86 mode (or through software emulation).

[Ancient Dragon]

>>DOS runs in segmented mode, and jumps into Protected Mode when needed.
MS-DOS version 6.X and older never ever jumped into protected mode for anything. You had to use a DOS extender (one such as by Pharlap) to get into protected mode.

And its called real mode, not segmented mode.

MS-DOS version 6.X and older never ever jumped into protected mode for anything. You had to use a DOS extender (one such as by Pharlap) to get into protected mode.

And its called real mode, not segmented mode.

Semantics, semantics :P Thanks for correcting me though.