DOS ain't dead - Impromptu survey

Impromptu survey (Miscellaneous)

posted by Doug , 26.12.2023, 19:59

I use pure DOS on a bare-metal Pentium 4 desktop system every day -- MS-DOS 7.1 from Windows 98SE with 4-DOS Command Shell (what allows me to have 625k of free conventional RAM, with all 53k of TSRs in UMBs (25k still free), and have not encountered any incompatibility in over 25 years of usage). And (as discussed in a previous topic) Directory Freedom file manager. Those are what make DOS actually usable for me. (HX extender runtime helps as well!)

Admittedly, my computing needs are somewhat modest, but i use DOS for about 80% of what i do -- text processing (PC-Write), spreadsheets (1-2-3), database (Paradox), audio playback (MPXPlay), video playback (MPlayer). I'm an admitted utilities junkie (!), and also do some 16-bit programming/debugging (including assembler, but i'm not a whiz).

Maybe it's because i got in on the PC-DOS ground floor in the early '80s, but I find DOS quicker, more intuitive, less feature bloated, and less oppressive than Windows (i don't even have any Windows past XP). I do use a "pimped-up" Win98SE for about 15% of stuff not do-able in DOS, and Linux Mint Mate for the remaining 5%. I actively despise the new-ish Windows i'm forced to use at work.... :)

Ok, carry on....

- Doug B.

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Complete thread:

Impromptu survey - glennmcc, 23.12.2023, 21:16
- Impromptu survey - Laaca, 23.12.2023, 22:34
- Impromptu survey - Zyzzle, 23.12.2023, 23:11
- Impromptu survey - Rugxulo, 24.12.2023, 03:26
- Impromptu survey - Doug, 26.12.2023, 19:59
- Impromptu survey - bocke, 29.12.2023, 21:39
  - Impromptu survey - bocke, 29.12.2023, 21:40
  - Impromptu survey - RayeR, 11.02.2024, 15:44