DOS ain't dead

The DOS user base is much larger than you think (Miscellaneous)

posted by sol, 24.10.2007, 17:43

I think the DOS user base is much smaller than *you* think :)

ROM-DOS was introduced in 1989. MS-DOS sold millions of copies too, but that's not really relevant in 2007 either. Nor is how many copies of Windows 3.1 or OS/2.

I also think you're assuming all console business software that looks like DOS *is* DOS, whereas a great deal of it is Unix based.

Granted, there are still many businesses with DOS software --- they're not here. They're using the same software they've been using for years - they're not swapping drivers out or adding in new potentially unstable caching software. They're not really part of the "user base" because you'll never hear from them...they most likely don't even know they're running DOS, and they certainly don't care. If they have a problem, some vendor comes in and fixes it.

Embedded systems --- same thing as business "users"

Gamers, as you hinted, are mostly using dosbox. Again, they're not users of freedos, strange new device drivers or anything else offered by the community. They don't need any support here since it's not real DOS and there's no installation or loss of kernel files, formatting, partitioning, hardware problems, etc...

The evidence that the DOS community is very small is all around you. Open your eyes. This is "one of the most popular" DOS forums as noted by another user under the Grand Re-Opening thread. There are *16* registered users here and very little activity.

Similarly you'll see empty IRC chat rooms and the like, and you'll notice that DOS does not come up on any form of market share analysis, and arachne on no browser market share lists.

What's a lack of popularity imply? Not much, really. But get a reality check. Take a look at the title of this thread by Jack himself --- "one customer" --- doesn't that say enough?

Thread locked

 

Complete thread:

• Only One "Customer" -- ONLY ONE!!! - Jack, 17.10.2007, 23:39 (Miscellaneous)
  • Only One "Customer" -- ONLY ONE!!! - Steve, 18.10.2007, 08:27
  • Only One "Customer" -- ONLY ONE!!! - sol, 23.10.2007, 17:41
    • NO! - Jack, 23.10.2007, 21:49
      • NO! - sol, 23.10.2007, 22:50
        • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - lucho, 24.10.2007, 13:55
          • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 24.10.2007, 17:43
            • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - lucho, 24.10.2007, 18:27
              • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 24.10.2007, 18:38
                • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - lucho, 25.10.2007, 09:16
                  • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 25.10.2007, 17:16
                    • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - lucho, 25.10.2007, 18:05
                    • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - Rugxulo, 26.10.2007, 02:27
                      • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 26.10.2007, 02:32
                        • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - Rugxulo, 26.10.2007, 04:42
                          • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 26.10.2007, 06:27
                            • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - Rugxulo, 26.10.2007, 07:42
                              • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 26.10.2007, 17:40
                                • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - Rugxulo, 27.10.2007, 14:04
                            • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - DOS386, 26.10.2007, 08:07
                              • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 26.10.2007, 18:05
                                • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - Rugxulo, 27.10.2007, 13:55
                                  • 30 seconds boot time - lucho, 27.10.2007, 14:32
                            • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - Rugxulo, 28.10.2007, 01:38
                              • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - Steve, 28.10.2007, 04:26
                              • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 28.10.2007, 20:18
                                • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - Rugxulo, 29.10.2007, 13:31
                                  • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 30.10.2007, 16:47
                                    • The charm of DOS - lucho, 30.10.2007, 17:23
                                    • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - Rugxulo, 31.10.2007, 00:43
                      • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - DOS386, 26.10.2007, 07:59
            • The "Title" of This Thread. - Jack, 24.10.2007, 19:36
              • The "Title" of This Thread. - sol, 24.10.2007, 19:46
                • Get Something ELSE!! - Jack, 24.10.2007, 22:27
                  • Get Something ELSE!! - sol, 24.10.2007, 23:01
                • The "Title" of This Thread. - DOS386, 25.10.2007, 06:30
                  • The "Title" of This Thread. - rr, 25.10.2007, 10:48
                    • The "Title" of This Thread and the God - DOS386, 26.10.2007, 08:10
                  • The "Title" of This Thread. - Steve, 25.10.2007, 14:55
                • Boot floppy - lucho, 25.10.2007, 15:29
                • The "Title" of This Thread. - DOS386, 28.10.2007, 02:00
                  • The "Title" of This Thread. - sol, 28.10.2007, 20:28
          • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - RayeR, 29.10.2007, 12:35
            • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - sol, 30.10.2007, 16:44
              • Seagate and DOS - lucho, 30.10.2007, 17:24
                • Seagate and DOS - sol, 30.10.2007, 19:20
                  • DyDOSaurs - lucho, 30.10.2007, 20:05
                    • DyDOSaurs - sol, 30.10.2007, 20:10
                      • Questions to Solomon - lucho, 31.10.2007, 10:32
                  • Seagate and DOS - Khusraw, 30.10.2007, 21:05
                    • Seagate and DOS - sol, 30.10.2007, 21:47
                      • Seagate and DOS - Khusraw, 30.10.2007, 22:29
                      • Seagate and DOS - Khusraw, 30.10.2007, 22:34
                        • Seagate and DOS - sol, 30.10.2007, 22:48
                          • Seagate and DOS - Khusraw, 31.10.2007, 02:29
                            • Seagate and DOS - sol, 31.10.2007, 05:01
                              • Seagate and DOS - Khusraw, 31.10.2007, 14:44
                                • Seagate and DOS - sol, 31.10.2007, 17:26
                    • Seagate and DOS - sol, 30.10.2007, 22:43
                      • Seagate and DOS - Rugxulo, 31.10.2007, 00:51
                      • Seagate and DOS - Khusraw, 31.10.2007, 01:12
                        • Seagate and DOS - sol, 31.10.2007, 04:35
                    • Seagate and DOS - sol, 30.10.2007, 22:47
                      • Seagate and DOS - Khusraw, 31.10.2007, 01:22
              • The DOS user base is much larger than you think - RayeR, 31.10.2007, 12:40
  • One of the biggest improvements to DOS - lucho, 25.10.2007, 16:39
    • One of the biggest improvements to DOS - Tom, 25.10.2007, 17:06
  • Let's End THIS Poor-Old Thread, As Well! - Jack, 31.10.2007, 15:46