DOS ain't dead - BSD alternatives to coreutils

BSD alternatives to coreutils (Developers)

posted by bocke, 22.01.2014, 21:45

> I'm trying to get to the point where I have all the base utilities and
> libraries I need to build the Open Source applications I want on a DOS
> system. That means being able to run tools to build Open Source projects
> like gnu autotools. Another main goal of mine is to be able to build
> everything in a repeatable manner. Right now, my DOS development system is
> a collection of some older djgpp programs and utilities, some of Georg
> Potthast's build environment and some utilities I built from source (like
> make 4.0). I'm also using a portable package management system similar to
> Slackware's slackbuilds. I'm attempting to consolidate so that I can build
> the entire environment (everything I need to build Open Source
> applications) from source and build scripts. My goal isn't to make
> something useful for someone else. I'm working on something I personally
> need in order to port applications I use more easily to DOS. However, if
> anyone else is interested in this sort of thing, it would be nice to be
> able to discuss design ideas and share code and results.
>

So basically you want to create a POSIX compatibillity layer on top of the DOS? DJGPP already does a big part of that. Having in mind the OS limitations, they did pretty good job with it.

To make a real POSIX compatible environment you would need to write a 32-bit multiprocess (and multithreading), networked and multi-user DOS multitasker extension. But problem is: when you load this multitasking core, you don't run DOS anymore. This core would have its own APIs and DOS software won't be "native" anymore. You 'd probably run them in the emulated DOS VMs like in Windows. It's basically like writing a new operating system. :)

But you would most likely be able to exit it and switch to "pure" DOS if needed.

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Complete thread:

BSD alternatives to coreutils - lmemsm, 19.01.2014, 17:32 (Developers)
- BSD alternatives to coreutils - RayeR, 19.01.2014, 17:40
- BSD alternatives to coreutils - Doug, 19.01.2014, 21:42
  - BSD alternatives to coreutils - lmemsm, 20.01.2014, 13:24
- BSD alternatives to coreutils - bocke, 20.01.2014, 15:04
  - BSD alternatives to coreutils - bocke, 20.01.2014, 16:41
  - BSD alternatives to coreutils - lmemsm, 21.01.2014, 13:59
    - BSD alternatives to coreutils - marcov, 21.01.2014, 15:30
      - BSD alternatives to coreutils - Oso2k, 21.01.2014, 23:01
        BSD alternatives to coreutils - Ibidem, 22.01.2014, 04:05
      - BSD alternatives to coreutils - bocke, 22.01.2014, 21:26
    - BSD alternatives to coreutils - georgpotthast, 22.01.2014, 08:18
      - BSD alternatives to coreutils - lmemsm, 22.01.2014, 14:33
      - BSD alternatives to coreutils - marcov, 23.01.2014, 21:33
    - BSD alternatives to coreutils - bocke, 22.01.2014, 21:45
      - BSD alternatives to coreutils - lmemsm, 23.01.2014, 23:25
        BSD alternatives to coreutils - Oso2k, 24.01.2014, 01:28
        BSD alternatives to coreutils - bocke, 14.02.2014, 02:59