Message-Id: <199903291522.JAA29892@darwin.sfbr.org>
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 09:22:47 -0600 (CST)
From: Jeff Williams <jeffw AT darwin DOT sfbr DOT org>
Subject: Re: DJGPP: the future is... ?
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Cc: jeffw AT darwin DOT sfbr DOT org
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Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com

-: Suggestion 1 - Help continue/complete development of FreeDOS.
	[snipped]
-: The FreeDOS group has made leaps and bounds in the last 6 months.

This is true.  Following the Great Kernel Wars of last fall work on
the FreeDOS kernel has skyrocketed and it has come a *long* way in
just a few months.  The expertise on the djgpp mailing list is
overwhelming, and contributions to the FreeDOS effort would be
welcomed.

-: distribute the development environment with the OS is what has
-: made GNU/Linux systems such a success.  Imagine if that were
-: possible with DJGPP.  I know...most people think DOS is dead
-: but I dont...maybe I'm crazy.  Heck, even DJ doesnt use DOS or
-: DOSEmu on his SG to build DJGPP.

I too would like to see work on a DJGPP kernel---maybe it could become
for DOS what Linux is for Unix.  Anyway, it's my experience that DJGPP
can completely replace M$ *except* for the kernel and a few small system
utilities.  Wouldn't a DJGPP-specific OS cut that last thread to M$?
There are at least two good starting points:

1. Bill Currie's MMURTL-ish 32-bit DJGPP embryonic kernel.
2. FreeDOS 16-bit DOS 3.3 compatible kernel (almost there...!)

Some will suggest just to move to Linux, which is fine, but that only
sidesteps the issue of what to do with DJGPP.  DJGPP is **not** just
a ``poor man's Un*x''!  DJGPP gives the user the best of both DOS and
Un*x environments---let's keep it that way!

jtw