Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
I have MS Word 6 for dos. Its junk. Only does a fraction of the same windows version. Wordperfect 6.2 is great. I bought some extras for it. I added stamp and an update disk. cheers DS On Sun, 3 May 2020 17:05:11 -0500 Jim Hall writes: > If you want a distraction-free word processor, you might also try > Microsoft > Word for DOS 5.5. Microsoft released this as a free (gratis) > download from > their website. I covered it in this week's FreeDOS video, on our > YouTube > channel: > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIXZtThIkF0 > > Direct download is here: > http://download.microsoft.com/download/word97win/Wd55_be/97/WIN98/EN-US/W d55_ben.exe > > > Pretty nice features! I liked the graphics mode, so you can actually > see > text in *bold*, *italics* and *underline* (instead of seeing them as > colors). And LibreOffice and even Google Docs can import the old > Word for > DOS 5.5 files - at least for a simple document, I didn't test all > the > styles. (But Microsoft Office 365 can't read the old format, which > is too > bad.) > > Word is now my favorite word processor for DOS. > > Jim > > On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 3:28 PM Vincent Asaro > wrote: > > > Eric, > > > > Thank you for the detailed response! I never played video games, > actually, > > I'm just nostalgic for the text interface experience and I really > want to > > use WordPerfect again but without installing a VM. As long as I > can enter > > code and also load DOS programs via USB, I'll get tons of mileage > out of FD > > - there are several legacy word processors I also want to try, > like > > Electric Pencil. A weird obsession, I know, but I'm a writer ;) > Thanks > > again! > > > > ~ Vincent > > > > On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 4:14 PM Eric Auer > wrote: > > > >> > >> Hi Vincent! I would say as long as it has at least a > >> few megabytes of RAM and at least a 386 CPU, FreeDOS > >> should run on any PC ;-) Which specific parts are you > >> worried about? The BIOS will usually support "legacy" > >> OS such as DOS in helping with USB keyboard and mouse > >> access and access to any built-in harddisk or SSD. > >> > >> Even the newest graphics cards should still support > >> classic text mode and common VGA modes, but there > >> is a thread in the BTTR forum complaining that some > >> new graphics cards became too exotic for DOS games. > >> > >> Note that almost no game for DOS will support current > >> sound infrastructure such as AC97 or HDA. If you are > >> looking for sound beyond the PC speaker or beeper, it > >> is better to run DOS in a virtual environment such as > >> dosemu2 or a complete generic virtual PC. Using dosemu > >> has the advantage that you get guest drivers which let > >> you access a Linux directory as if it was a DOS disk. > >> > >> Regarding disk sizes: FreeDOS supports only MBR style > >> partitions yet, no GPT, so you are limited to using > >> the first 2 TB of your disks. If your BIOS does not > >> support LBA48, it could even be the first 128 GB. > >> > >> Regards, Eric > >> > >> PS: There are some DOS media players which support some > >> newer sound chips, but I do not know any games which do. > >> > >> > I have a little HP11 streaming laptop I'm not using - I used it > to try > >> out > >> > Linux Mint, now it's redundant - is it a good candidate for > FreeDOS? > >> I'd be > >> > dependant on the USB ports for I/O. Thank you! > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> ___ > >> Freedos-user mailing list > >> Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > >> > > ___ > > Freedos-user mailing list > > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > > ** >From Dale Sterner - MS organic chemistry http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jo00975a052 *** Sponsored by https://www.newser.com/?utm_source=part_medium=uol_campaign=rss_taglines_more Ireland Reaches Out to Help Navajo Nation http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5eb2da56653445a5646c6st03duc1 Salon Owner's Choice: Jail or Apology. She Chose Jail http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5eb2da5689c335a5646c6st03duc2 In This Nation, 'Murder Hornets' Used in Snacks, Drinks, Decor http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5eb2da56adff45a5646c6st03duc3 ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
On Mon, May 4, 2020 at 12:07 PM Jim Hall wrote: > But I'll see if I can ask someone at Microsoft about it. My guess is > that they provide the download because they don't care about it > anymore, and no one thought to create a web page for it. That's my guess. Copyright normally becomes an issue when there is money on the table (or someone thinks there might be.) Word for DOS hasn't been sold for ages. *MSDOS* hasn't been sold as a separate product for ages. Who at MS is going to *care* that you can now get it free? It's not like they're losing money because you can. The stuff people will actually *pay* for all moved to the Windows side decades ago. Do you technically need a license? Perhaps. Is anyone going to come after you if you *don't* have one?" Vanishingly unlikely. People bring suit on stuff like this to protect rights and revenue streams. MS rights are not in danger here, and there hasn't been a revenue stream for this in many years. Bringing suit costs time, effort, and money. Why would MS *bother*? Their legal staff has better things to do with their time. FreeDOS is open source, and along that line, wants all software available with FreeDOS or from its repository on Ibiblio to be open source. So having MS Word for DOS 5.5 on Ibiblio would be inappropriate, but I don't personally see a reason the FreeDOS website couldn't provide a pointer to it elsewhere, as "software not open source but freely available that you can run under FreeDOS" > Jim __ Dennis ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
On Mon, May 4, 2020 at 10:10 AM Robert Riebisch wrote: > > Hi Jim, > > > If you want a distraction-free word processor, you might also try Microsoft > > Word for DOS 5.5. Microsoft released this as a free (gratis) download from > > I'm not sure about "free (gratis)". > IIRC Wd55_ben.exe was released to fix a y2k bug. So one would still need > a license (real, physical) to be on the safe side. > Hmmm... that would be unfortunate. But that might explain why there wasn't a "landing page" for it on download.microsoft.com that I could link to. FYI, Wikipedia says this: >When Microsoft became aware of the Year 2000 problem, it released the entire >DOS port of Microsoft Word 5.5 instead of getting people to pay for the >update. As of November 2019, it is still available for download from >Microsoft's web site.[12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Microsoft_Word#Word_for_DOS And Internet Archive says this: >Microsoft Word 5.5 for DOS, released as freeware in 1999 by Microsoft as part >of their Y2K compliance efforts. https://archive.org/details/msword5.5 And a question about it (with link) is still on Microsoft's TechNet forums: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/a677155e-412e-4598-878b-6aa6f5464dc3/word-50-for-dos-or-word-55-for-dos-download-location-on-ms-site?forum=winservergen But I'll see if I can ask someone at Microsoft about it. My guess is that they provide the download because they don't care about it anymore, and no one thought to create a web page for it. Jim ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
Yes, my bad. Thanks for the correction __ Dennis On Mon, May 4, 2020 at 3:52 AM Harald Arnesen wrote: > > dmccunney [04.05.2020 03:52]: > > > Have fun. EP was originally written for an 8 bit Atari microcomputer > ^ > Altair > > -- > Hilsen Harald > > > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user -- ___ Dennis ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
Hi Jim, > If you want a distraction-free word processor, you might also try Microsoft > Word for DOS 5.5. Microsoft released this as a free (gratis) download from I'm not sure about "free (gratis)". IIRC Wd55_ben.exe was released to fix a y2k bug. So one would still need a license (real, physical) to be on the safe side. Cheers, Robert -- +++ BTTR Software +++ Home page: https://www.bttr-software.de/ DOS ain't dead: https://www.bttr-software.de/forum/ ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
If you want a distraction-free word processor, you might also try Microsoft Word for DOS 5.5. Microsoft released this as a free (gratis) download from their website. I covered it in this week's FreeDOS video, on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIXZtThIkF0 Direct download is here: http://download.microsoft.com/download/word97win/Wd55_be/97/WIN98/EN-US/Wd55_ben.exe Pretty nice features! I liked the graphics mode, so you can actually see text in *bold*, *italics* and *underline* (instead of seeing them as colors). And LibreOffice and even Google Docs can import the old Word for DOS 5.5 files - at least for a simple document, I didn't test all the styles. (But Microsoft Office 365 can't read the old format, which is too bad.) Word is now my favorite word processor for DOS. Jim On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 3:28 PM Vincent Asaro wrote: > Eric, > > Thank you for the detailed response! I never played video games, actually, > I'm just nostalgic for the text interface experience and I really want to > use WordPerfect again but without installing a VM. As long as I can enter > code and also load DOS programs via USB, I'll get tons of mileage out of FD > - there are several legacy word processors I also want to try, like > Electric Pencil. A weird obsession, I know, but I'm a writer ;) Thanks > again! > > ~ Vincent > > On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 4:14 PM Eric Auer wrote: > >> >> Hi Vincent! I would say as long as it has at least a >> few megabytes of RAM and at least a 386 CPU, FreeDOS >> should run on any PC ;-) Which specific parts are you >> worried about? The BIOS will usually support "legacy" >> OS such as DOS in helping with USB keyboard and mouse >> access and access to any built-in harddisk or SSD. >> >> Even the newest graphics cards should still support >> classic text mode and common VGA modes, but there >> is a thread in the BTTR forum complaining that some >> new graphics cards became too exotic for DOS games. >> >> Note that almost no game for DOS will support current >> sound infrastructure such as AC97 or HDA. If you are >> looking for sound beyond the PC speaker or beeper, it >> is better to run DOS in a virtual environment such as >> dosemu2 or a complete generic virtual PC. Using dosemu >> has the advantage that you get guest drivers which let >> you access a Linux directory as if it was a DOS disk. >> >> Regarding disk sizes: FreeDOS supports only MBR style >> partitions yet, no GPT, so you are limited to using >> the first 2 TB of your disks. If your BIOS does not >> support LBA48, it could even be the first 128 GB. >> >> Regards, Eric >> >> PS: There are some DOS media players which support some >> newer sound chips, but I do not know any games which do. >> >> > I have a little HP11 streaming laptop I'm not using - I used it to try >> out >> > Linux Mint, now it's redundant - is it a good candidate for FreeDOS? >> I'd be >> > dependant on the USB ports for I/O. Thank you! >> >> >> >> >> ___ >> Freedos-user mailing list >> Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user >> > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
Dennis - Thank you! You've addressed all of my questions and concerns, esp. abt loading data via USB thumb drive, and the history of EP and it's relationship to the later packaged version. I'm going to try to build an 8bit machine at some point. As you can probably tell, although I grew up in the early days of the "micro computer" I'm not a techy or anything like that, my knowledge is very limited. I was more into audio electronics in the 80's/90's, my grasp of computers is still rudimentary, I still think in terms of very basic hardware functions, there was a nice overlap early on but then then the two hobbies kind of forked into different directions. I've done 3 successful Linux installs in the past 2 weeks (on 2 otherwise non-functional old laptops, I upgraded one from a light OS to the full suite - they are both functional again!), I really love it tho it's going to take a good long while to really grasp the system in any meaningful way - but so far it makes more sense to me than Windows. A few years ago I played all the old LucasArts games on DosBox but I couldn't get any "office" apps to work on it, I'm aware of VirtualBox etc. but wasn't able to run it on Windows. I'll give your advice serious consideration, thank you for taking the time to respond. VA On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 11:28 PM Vincent Asaro wrote: > > > On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 9:54 PM dmccunney > wrote: > >> On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 8:10 PM Vincent Asaro >> wrote: >> > >> > Dennis - Thank you for all the info! >> >> You're welcome. >> >> > I installed Linux Mint via USB on that machine, I just want to be sure >> FD will "see" the ports, so to speak, but the FD page sez it's so, so it >> must be! >> >> Seeing USB ports and being able to use them are different things. >> Bear in mind that FreeDOS was intended to be a compatible open source >> alternative to MSDOS. USB did not *exist* when what FreeDOS was >> trying to be compatible with was still being developed and sold. An >> assortment of things folks would like in FreeDOS fall into the "It >> didn't exist in real DOS, and therefore doesn't in FreeDOS" bucket. >> USB is a FreeDOS work in progress. There is some support, but whether >> there is support for what you require is another matter. (Assuming >> you can install FreeDOS *from* USB, can you then write *to* something >> attached to USB, like a thumb drive? How will you get stuff you >> create *on* the HP off of it and to something else? And yes, >> networking will be another challenge.) >> >> > I found the code for EP on Archive.org, mimeo of typewritten doc (!) >> it's abt 4 pages long and I have every intention of punching in every >> character manually LoL It's one of my Holy Grails, just to use that program >> :) >> >> Have fun. EP was originally written for an 8 bit Atari microcomputer >> that did not use CP/M or DOS as the OS. It was ported to CP/M by >> other hands, and then to TRSDOS on the TRS-80 by yet other hands. Do >> not expect the source you found on archive.org in a scan of a >> typewritten document to be usable as is, even if you successfully >> transcribe it. >> >> Since you were able to install Linux Mint (and I assume it ran), you >> might be better served by installing DOSBox under Mint and using it to >> run old DOS apps. You would at least have USB support already extant. >> (I'd want more RAM on the HP machine, but 2GB should work. I have >> Lubuntu dual-booting on an Acer Aspire1 notebook with WinXP Home. The >> Acer has 1.5GB RAM. Lubuntu is not exactly speedy, but *does* run.) >> __ >> Dennis >> >> >> ___ >> Freedos-user mailing list >> Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user >> > ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
dmccunney [04.05.2020 03:52]: > Have fun. EP was originally written for an 8 bit Atari microcomputer ^ Altair -- Hilsen Harald ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 9:54 PM dmccunney wrote: > On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 8:10 PM Vincent Asaro > wrote: > > > > Dennis - Thank you for all the info! > > You're welcome. > > > I installed Linux Mint via USB on that machine, I just want to be sure > FD will "see" the ports, so to speak, but the FD page sez it's so, so it > must be! > > Seeing USB ports and being able to use them are different things. > Bear in mind that FreeDOS was intended to be a compatible open source > alternative to MSDOS. USB did not *exist* when what FreeDOS was > trying to be compatible with was still being developed and sold. An > assortment of things folks would like in FreeDOS fall into the "It > didn't exist in real DOS, and therefore doesn't in FreeDOS" bucket. > USB is a FreeDOS work in progress. There is some support, but whether > there is support for what you require is another matter. (Assuming > you can install FreeDOS *from* USB, can you then write *to* something > attached to USB, like a thumb drive? How will you get stuff you > create *on* the HP off of it and to something else? And yes, > networking will be another challenge.) > > > I found the code for EP on Archive.org, mimeo of typewritten doc (!) > it's abt 4 pages long and I have every intention of punching in every > character manually LoL It's one of my Holy Grails, just to use that program > :) > > Have fun. EP was originally written for an 8 bit Atari microcomputer > that did not use CP/M or DOS as the OS. It was ported to CP/M by > other hands, and then to TRSDOS on the TRS-80 by yet other hands. Do > not expect the source you found on archive.org in a scan of a > typewritten document to be usable as is, even if you successfully > transcribe it. > > Since you were able to install Linux Mint (and I assume it ran), you > might be better served by installing DOSBox under Mint and using it to > run old DOS apps. You would at least have USB support already extant. > (I'd want more RAM on the HP machine, but 2GB should work. I have > Lubuntu dual-booting on an Acer Aspire1 notebook with WinXP Home. The > Acer has 1.5GB RAM. Lubuntu is not exactly speedy, but *does* run.) > __ > Dennis > > > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 8:10 PM Vincent Asaro wrote: > > Dennis - Thank you for all the info! You're welcome. > I installed Linux Mint via USB on that machine, I just want to be sure FD > will "see" the ports, so to speak, but the FD page sez it's so, so it must be! Seeing USB ports and being able to use them are different things. Bear in mind that FreeDOS was intended to be a compatible open source alternative to MSDOS. USB did not *exist* when what FreeDOS was trying to be compatible with was still being developed and sold. An assortment of things folks would like in FreeDOS fall into the "It didn't exist in real DOS, and therefore doesn't in FreeDOS" bucket. USB is a FreeDOS work in progress. There is some support, but whether there is support for what you require is another matter. (Assuming you can install FreeDOS *from* USB, can you then write *to* something attached to USB, like a thumb drive? How will you get stuff you create *on* the HP off of it and to something else? And yes, networking will be another challenge.) > I found the code for EP on Archive.org, mimeo of typewritten doc (!) it's abt > 4 pages long and I have every intention of punching in every character > manually LoL It's one of my Holy Grails, just to use that program :) Have fun. EP was originally written for an 8 bit Atari microcomputer that did not use CP/M or DOS as the OS. It was ported to CP/M by other hands, and then to TRSDOS on the TRS-80 by yet other hands. Do not expect the source you found on archive.org in a scan of a typewritten document to be usable as is, even if you successfully transcribe it. Since you were able to install Linux Mint (and I assume it ran), you might be better served by installing DOSBox under Mint and using it to run old DOS apps. You would at least have USB support already extant. (I'd want more RAM on the HP machine, but 2GB should work. I have Lubuntu dual-booting on an Acer Aspire1 notebook with WinXP Home. The Acer has 1.5GB RAM. Lubuntu is not exactly speedy, but *does* run.) __ Dennis ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
Dennis - Thank you for all the info! I installed Linux Mint via USB on that machine, I just want to be sure FD will "see" the ports, so to speak, but the FD page sez it's so, so it must be! I found the code for EP on Archive.org, mimeo of typewritten doc (!) it's abt 4 pages long and I have every intention of punching in every character manually LoL It's one of my Holy Grails, just to use that program :) On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 6:22 PM dmccunney wrote: > On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 4:28 PM Vincent Asaro > wrote: > > > > Eric, > > > > Thank you for the detailed response! I never played video games, > actually, I'm just nostalgic for the text interface experience and I really > want to use WordPerfect again but without installing a VM. As long as I can > enter code and also load DOS programs via USB, I'll get tons of mileage out > of FD - there are several legacy word processors I also want to try, like > Electric Pencil. A weird obsession, I know, but I'm a writer ;) Thanks > again! > > It depends on what you consider a VM. There is an open source > cross-platform package called DOSbox, intended to let folks play old > DOS games on things that *aren't* DOS PCs. A fork called vDOS is > specifically intended for supporting DOS character mode productivity > applications, but it is X86 specific. > > I use the vDOSPlus fork of vDOS to run an assortment of old DOS > programs here under Win10. In my case, I run the VDE editor, which > is a WordStar clone that originated under CP/M and was subsequently > moved to DOS (though I have successfully run WS7 as well.), and a few > old DOS character mode games, like DOS versions of Unix Larn and VMS > Empire. Word Perfect runs as well, and there's a fan site with > details on running it under vDOS here: > http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/vdoswp.html > > (I have also gotten them running on an Android tablet using an Android > port of DOSBox. The problem there was finding an Android port of > DOSBox that passed ctrl-key combos through to the application, which > as an absolute necessity for running a WordStar style editor.) > > DOSBox and VDOSPlus implement enough of DOS to run DOS applications > but you'll want to add things. In particular, the provided shell you > talk to at a command line is a subset of COMMAND.COM providing just > enough to let you type in the name of a program to run. For > anythi8nhg beyond that, you'll want to install FreeDOS command or 4DOS > which is also available for FreeDOS. > > Running DOS apps here with vDOSPlus is a matter of a shortcut that > runs the vDOSPlus program, and runs it *in* the directory where the > DOS app lives. vDOS looks for autoexec.txt and config.txt files which > are the equivalent of autoexec.bat and config.sys and perform the same > functions and you run the program from auatexec.. > > You can find vDOSPlus here: https://www.vDosPlus.org > > If you want to run FreeDOS "on the bare metal", so to speak, your > hardware looks more than adequate, assuming you can install from USB. > > Where did you find a runnable version of Electric Pencil? > > > ~ Vincent > __ > Dennis > > > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
PS: Will FD recognize the USB ports? What I'm after is to load/run WordPerfect, my favorite word processor, which I now miss dearly. On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 4:11 PM Vincent Asaro wrote: > Thank you! It's this little jobbie: > > > https://www.amazon.com/HP-11-d010wm-2-16GHz-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B07L5QQMJP/ref=sr_1_16?crid=1WS283A5OXV7E=1=hp+11+stream+laptop=1588536603=hp11+stre%2Caps%2C186=8-16 > > Linux Mint has very easy BIOS access. > > On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 4:00 PM Jim Hall wrote: > >> I couldn't find the exact specs on this laptop, but I think you mean this >> one: >> https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-stream-11-pro-g5-notebook-pc-5ga98av-mb >> >> If this has a BIOS, then it should work. Yes, you'd need to try it with >> the USB installer. >> >> On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 2:49 PM Vincent Asaro >> wrote: >> >>> I have a little HP11 streaming laptop I'm not using - I used it to try >>> out Linux Mint, now it's redundant - is it a good candidate for FreeDOS? >>> I'd be dependant on the USB ports for I/O. Thank you! >>> ___ >>> Freedos-user mailing list >>> Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net >>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user >>> >> ___ >> Freedos-user mailing list >> Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user >> > ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 4:28 PM Vincent Asaro wrote: > > Eric, > > Thank you for the detailed response! I never played video games, actually, > I'm just nostalgic for the text interface experience and I really want to use > WordPerfect again but without installing a VM. As long as I can enter code > and also load DOS programs via USB, I'll get tons of mileage out of FD - > there are several legacy word processors I also want to try, like Electric > Pencil. A weird obsession, I know, but I'm a writer ;) Thanks again! It depends on what you consider a VM. There is an open source cross-platform package called DOSbox, intended to let folks play old DOS games on things that *aren't* DOS PCs. A fork called vDOS is specifically intended for supporting DOS character mode productivity applications, but it is X86 specific. I use the vDOSPlus fork of vDOS to run an assortment of old DOS programs here under Win10. In my case, I run the VDE editor, which is a WordStar clone that originated under CP/M and was subsequently moved to DOS (though I have successfully run WS7 as well.), and a few old DOS character mode games, like DOS versions of Unix Larn and VMS Empire. Word Perfect runs as well, and there's a fan site with details on running it under vDOS here: http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/wpdos/vdoswp.html (I have also gotten them running on an Android tablet using an Android port of DOSBox. The problem there was finding an Android port of DOSBox that passed ctrl-key combos through to the application, which as an absolute necessity for running a WordStar style editor.) DOSBox and VDOSPlus implement enough of DOS to run DOS applications but you'll want to add things. In particular, the provided shell you talk to at a command line is a subset of COMMAND.COM providing just enough to let you type in the name of a program to run. For anythi8nhg beyond that, you'll want to install FreeDOS command or 4DOS which is also available for FreeDOS. Running DOS apps here with vDOSPlus is a matter of a shortcut that runs the vDOSPlus program, and runs it *in* the directory where the DOS app lives. vDOS looks for autoexec.txt and config.txt files which are the equivalent of autoexec.bat and config.sys and perform the same functions and you run the program from auatexec.. You can find vDOSPlus here: https://www.vDosPlus.org If you want to run FreeDOS "on the bare metal", so to speak, your hardware looks more than adequate, assuming you can install from USB. Where did you find a runnable version of Electric Pencil? > ~ Vincent __ Dennis ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
Thank you! It's this little jobbie: https://www.amazon.com/HP-11-d010wm-2-16GHz-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B07L5QQMJP/ref=sr_1_16?crid=1WS283A5OXV7E=1=hp+11+stream+laptop=1588536603=hp11+stre%2Caps%2C186=8-16 Linux Mint has very easy BIOS access. On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 4:00 PM Jim Hall wrote: > I couldn't find the exact specs on this laptop, but I think you mean this > one: > https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-stream-11-pro-g5-notebook-pc-5ga98av-mb > > If this has a BIOS, then it should work. Yes, you'd need to try it with > the USB installer. > > On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 2:49 PM Vincent Asaro > wrote: > >> I have a little HP11 streaming laptop I'm not using - I used it to try >> out Linux Mint, now it's redundant - is it a good candidate for FreeDOS? >> I'd be dependant on the USB ports for I/O. Thank you! >> ___ >> Freedos-user mailing list >> Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user >> > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
Eric, Thank you for the detailed response! I never played video games, actually, I'm just nostalgic for the text interface experience and I really want to use WordPerfect again but without installing a VM. As long as I can enter code and also load DOS programs via USB, I'll get tons of mileage out of FD - there are several legacy word processors I also want to try, like Electric Pencil. A weird obsession, I know, but I'm a writer ;) Thanks again! ~ Vincent On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 4:14 PM Eric Auer wrote: > > Hi Vincent! I would say as long as it has at least a > few megabytes of RAM and at least a 386 CPU, FreeDOS > should run on any PC ;-) Which specific parts are you > worried about? The BIOS will usually support "legacy" > OS such as DOS in helping with USB keyboard and mouse > access and access to any built-in harddisk or SSD. > > Even the newest graphics cards should still support > classic text mode and common VGA modes, but there > is a thread in the BTTR forum complaining that some > new graphics cards became too exotic for DOS games. > > Note that almost no game for DOS will support current > sound infrastructure such as AC97 or HDA. If you are > looking for sound beyond the PC speaker or beeper, it > is better to run DOS in a virtual environment such as > dosemu2 or a complete generic virtual PC. Using dosemu > has the advantage that you get guest drivers which let > you access a Linux directory as if it was a DOS disk. > > Regarding disk sizes: FreeDOS supports only MBR style > partitions yet, no GPT, so you are limited to using > the first 2 TB of your disks. If your BIOS does not > support LBA48, it could even be the first 128 GB. > > Regards, Eric > > PS: There are some DOS media players which support some > newer sound chips, but I do not know any games which do. > > > I have a little HP11 streaming laptop I'm not using - I used it to try > out > > Linux Mint, now it's redundant - is it a good candidate for FreeDOS? I'd > be > > dependant on the USB ports for I/O. Thank you! > > > > > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
Hi Vincent! I would say as long as it has at least a few megabytes of RAM and at least a 386 CPU, FreeDOS should run on any PC ;-) Which specific parts are you worried about? The BIOS will usually support "legacy" OS such as DOS in helping with USB keyboard and mouse access and access to any built-in harddisk or SSD. Even the newest graphics cards should still support classic text mode and common VGA modes, but there is a thread in the BTTR forum complaining that some new graphics cards became too exotic for DOS games. Note that almost no game for DOS will support current sound infrastructure such as AC97 or HDA. If you are looking for sound beyond the PC speaker or beeper, it is better to run DOS in a virtual environment such as dosemu2 or a complete generic virtual PC. Using dosemu has the advantage that you get guest drivers which let you access a Linux directory as if it was a DOS disk. Regarding disk sizes: FreeDOS supports only MBR style partitions yet, no GPT, so you are limited to using the first 2 TB of your disks. If your BIOS does not support LBA48, it could even be the first 128 GB. Regards, Eric PS: There are some DOS media players which support some newer sound chips, but I do not know any games which do. > I have a little HP11 streaming laptop I'm not using - I used it to try out > Linux Mint, now it's redundant - is it a good candidate for FreeDOS? I'd be > dependant on the USB ports for I/O. Thank you! ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] HP11 Streamer?
I couldn't find the exact specs on this laptop, but I think you mean this one: https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-stream-11-pro-g5-notebook-pc-5ga98av-mb If this has a BIOS, then it should work. Yes, you'd need to try it with the USB installer. On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 2:49 PM Vincent Asaro wrote: > I have a little HP11 streaming laptop I'm not using - I used it to try out > Linux Mint, now it's redundant - is it a good candidate for FreeDOS? I'd be > dependant on the USB ports for I/O. Thank you! > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
