Frequently asked questions about Free-DOS:

Section 1: General.
-------------------

1.0: Is "Free-DOS" the same as "MS-DOS"?

Free-DOS is not the same as MS-DOS. MS-DOS is a commerical product by
Microsoft; Free-DOS is an MS-DOS compatible operating system and is
completely free. Free-DOS will offer several extensions over MS-DOS.
The DOS/NT kernel will (eventually) run all your MS-DOS applications.


1.1: Is "Free-DOS" the same as "PD DOS"?

The name "PD DOS" has been dropped in favor of "Free-DOS" to make
clear the distinction between public domain and free.


1.2: Where can I get Free-DOS files or information?

Free-DOS is available via FTP or GOPHER from sunsite.unc.edu.
Check in this directory:

	/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos
	

1.3: Where should I put the Free-DOS files on my computer?






Q:Where do I put the Free-DOS files on my computer?
A:See the file where_it_goes at the ftp site in the doc/ directory.


III. Commands:

Q:Why won't ______ work?
A:Most likely, it is a bug.  Please report all bugs to the author or
to freedos@sunsite.unc.edu so that we can fix them.

Q:Why doesn't Free-DOS support ______?
A:That is either because no one has had time to write one or because
no one feels that Free-DOS should have include it.  You can check the
Task List at sunsite in the doc/ directory for a list of what's been
done, what needs to be done, and what we choose not to do.

Q:Why did you take commands out of COMMAND.COM?
A:We separated a bunch of the traditionally-internal commands into
separate programs for easier maintenance and easier bug-fixes.  The
downside is longer execution time, but oh well.  This does not mean
that your batch files will fail to work.


IV. Kernel-related stuff:

Q:Will Free-DOS do multitasking like Unix and Windows?
A:No, the Free-DOS DOS/NT kernel is not multitasking.

Q:Will Free-DOS run my old Dos programs?
A:Yup.  It may not run them all now, but that's just because the
Free-DOS DOS/NT kernel is still in its early releases.

Q:Will Free-DOS run under _______?
A:Yes.  In general, Free-DOS will run under any DOS-compliant
environment, be it Linux DOSEMU, OS/2, Windows NT, and so on.

Q:Pat Villani's DOS/NT kernel can be made bootable by following the
instructions from MKBOOT.TXT in the Zip file.

Q:What does the "NT" is "DOS/NT" stand for?
A: [From: Pat_Villani@vos.stratus.com] I had a lot of folks tell me
that I was crazy for even trying to compete with Microsoft, although I
was not looking to be the OS on ever PC in the world.  So, I
internally called it my Nut Thing (referring to all the crazy
comments) although when I told some one, he misunderstood and though I
said "nothing."
