Eko Priono <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> IMHO, a perfect DOS internet suite should be an *integrated* software
> which:
It strikes me after reading Eko's message that there is probably a way to do
everything you guys are after for a LOT less effort than actually
re-inventing the wheel (or waiting for it to be done) on another platform --
especially one that's not getting as much attention these days. I'm not sure
what your target platform is, but I think we'd pretty well be talking
about -- at least -- a low-end 386.
I know it's often talked about here, but have you considered running Linux
with the DOSemu package? I ran it many years ago on a 386 with 8MB RAM, and
it did quite well. DOSemu provided the beloved DOS app capability including
pretty good hardware-level access (at the time, I was running some DOS-based
software for my Complete Answering Machine!) and the true multitasking of
all the apps Eko asks about:
> * Operating in text mode both for eficiency and text reader/synth
> compability; will also effectively windows-compatible.
Not sure what you mean by "windows-compatible", dos-box perhaps? Would you
still need/want it?
> * Has multisession/multitasking capability (KA9Q flavors are good
> candidate), this will saves your phone bill a lot in some countries.
"standard features" on Linux. There are a couple of auto-dial,
auto-disconnect features available. I used diald for some time and it worked
very well.
> * Can connect to the internet with either ISDN, ADSL, DSL, LAN, or
> just the plain old modem.
A natural for Linux. Great support for legacy hardware as well. Well known
to work steadily on all those connection types (plus cable modem and
others).
> * Has no memory constrain (just like Win9x EDIT.COM ;-)
Pick an editor. There are many. The OS itself and most apps don't have
constraints (and certainly none based on 640KB!)
> * Has excellent and fast HTML rendering engine (Bobcat is a
> good candidate).
Lynx is well known in this arena.
> * Has excellent e-mail/news support (perhaps just like Nettamer? ;-)
Several flavors of both are readily available (pico,elm for mail, pico,rn
for news and many, many more).
> * Has RESUME/mirrror search support for it's FTP function
Again, pretty standard features for existing packages.
> * Has easy to use point 'n click user interface (like DOSLynx/T-Vision).
I'm not sure if you mean mouse-able, or tabbing between fields (lynx?)
> * Has socks, SSL, HTTP 1.1, and Javascript support.
Socks no problem, SSL and HTTP 1.1 are supported by Lynx. Javascript -- hmm.
I mostly see Javascript to produce pretty graphics, so that's probably got
to be a 'maybe'.
> * Has built-in Telnet, IRC, and ICQ functions.
Oh yes!
> * Has <.... insert your own prefs here ....>
Would depend on what you're after. If something DOES require graphics, then
X runs on small configs as well, though of course you need to have
reasonable expectations and hardware to match.
> * And best of all, it should be free for personal and non-commercial
> use; preferably ad-funded (like Mirabilis ICQ or Free-PC), not a
> nagware.
Absolutely, unconditionally free. No ads, no nags.
> Sounds impossible? Oh well, I might be daydreaming... <BG>
That would depend on how much you want it to be "DOS". A small install of
Linux can run on a 386 with 8MB of RAM and well under 100MB of hard disk (a
base debian install goes well in about 50MB). I think you'd be hard pressed
to find anything under DOS that would do nearly as much what you're after
with lower hardware requirements. Rather than trying to make DOS act like
something else, you'd use DOS for what it's best at (your apps here) and let
Linux do the Internet/communications part.
Best of all, if the direct control of a command-line interface is what
you're after, Linux provides far more than DOS. I consider it an upgrade for
anyone that still wants to know what's going on with their system, and
doesn't want to sink money into hardware just for bells and whistles.
Just a thought...
- Bob
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