I just done a better version... as it is small given the full new version here:
FreeDOS is a free (both having the liberty to, and with no fees) to use,
redistribute and modify reimplementation of DOS (mainly Microsoft DOS) that was
often coming with computers in the 80s. By default, it does not come with a
graphical environment, but rather you give text commands to see, copy, edit and
execute files. Link: Introduction to commands. The files executed are often
graphical programs more similar to what you can see on modern computers. Or
they can be text-based programs (either that you manipulate with text commands
like FreeDOS itself, or that allows you to move from fields to fields with tab
key (or sometime even with the mouse) or to use the menus with shortcuts on the
keyboard (or again sometime with the mouse).
FreeDOS come with a lot of programs (Link to included programs categories) but
it also allows you to run DOS programs you already own (like games) that were
done to run in DOS when it was popular. We cannot include every programs by
default in FreeDOS, but there is many websites that allows you to get programs
made to be run in DOS and so in FreeDOS (link to sites having DOS programs).
There is mainly two ways to install FreeDOS. The one we recommand is in what we
call a virtual machine. Modern computers have (often free to use) programs that
allows you to create, modify (add a file that would act as an hard disk, or a
an .iso file that would act as a DVD in a DVD drive) or destroy simulated
computers called virtual machines. The virtual machine manager programs allow
then you to start a virtual machine that appears as a window with which you can
interact with keyboard and mouse. (link to install in a virtual machine). If
you have a real computer (maybe an old one) that you want to dedicate to
FreeDOS, you can (Link install on a real computer).
If you encounter problems while using FreeDOS, we have what is called a Wiki,
which is like a website but which is easier for people to contribute changes.
So it will probably have more information than the website (Link to the Wiki).
You can also communicate with other users. We mostly communicate through
mailing-lists. A mailing list is a group of people to which you can subscribe
to (or unsubscribe), and every message one send to it is redistributed by email
to every subscribed people. (Link to mailing lists). We also communicate
through a web-based discussion program called Forum, but it is less used: (Link
to forums). We also maintain a list of know bugs (link to bugs).
As FreeDOS is free to modify, any one can get the source code (link to source
code) and propose modifications to it.
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