On Sun, 22 Jan 2023, Jerome Shidel wrote:
Assuming Google does not scrap GSoC amidst the layoffs, I have a
thought.
Perhaps it could be used to solve one of the most frequent problems I
hear. Running FreeDOS on modern UEFI hardware.
As we are all well aware, this cannot be directly accomplished and would
require an abstraction layer between the OS and the actual hardware.
A project could be created to provide a very thin Linux based system
(possibly using an RTOS kernel) whose only job is to manage the
abstraction layer and implement the virtual machine to run FreeDOS.
This could be done almost transparently. Booting straight to DOS unless
the user pressed a specific key (Like F1) during boot.
Pressing such a key would bring up a BIOS like interface that could be
used to change the virtual BIOS settings and configure drivers and such
aspects of the host OS.
Their job would be to create that interface and make it all work
seemingly. Most of the pieces required exist. But, it would not be a
small task to implement.
It could yield much better performance and more accurate emulation than
traditional virtual machines. With todays multi-core systems, individual
cores could be dedicated to emulating various aspects of PC hardware.
For example, one core could be dedicated to performing the tasks handled
by a sound card.
I think such a project could appeal to many. There is a lot of interest
in playing old games. Also, since this would be a generic legacy PC
emulation layer. It could be used to install other Operating Systems
like MS-DOS, PC-DOS, etc.
:-)
Jerome
I think I actually proposed a similar idea some time ago except that it
was *itself* the OS, rather than a stripped-down Linux distro. Sort-of a
pre-AMD64 PC emulator, virtualizing where possible, emulating where not.
Then again, I have a half-written Apple //e emulator that runs straight
off UEFI - and it's much the same thing I was describing, except Apple ][
instead of an older variety of PC, and strictly emulation.
I do feel it's really overkill though - and it's a bit of a two-edged
sword. More work to implement and maintain, though much less of a
footprint.
As for all the people saying "make FreeDOS more like Linux", they don't
seem to understand FreeDOS *or* Linux.
-uso.
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