I have a Mac Mini and want to be able to run a few old MS-DOS apps
like Wordstar, Supercalc and Q&A.

They all run under standard DOS but I'd like to run them on the Mini.

How? I've heard of Virtual PC but it seems to require running XP or
2000. Just plain old DOS would serve me just fine.

Under Linus I run dosemu (Linux dos emulator) but have not found
something like that for the Mac.

Thanks very much.

Larry

--
My real sig is much better.

In article <m3nor1tnu274oqdvjkjbmabmgpm5rk6gao@4ax.com>,
larryalk <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

> I have a Mac Mini and want to be able to run a few old MS-DOS apps
> like Wordstar, Supercalc and Q&A.
>
> They all run under standard DOS but I'd like to run them on the Mini.
>
> How? I've heard of Virtual PC but it seems to require running XP or
> 2000. Just plain old DOS would serve me just fine.
>
> Under Linus I run dosemu (Linux dos emulator) but have not found
> something like that for the Mac.
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Larry

Microsoft sells VPC with various recent Windows versions... they used to
sell a lower-priced DOS-only version for people who already owned a
Windows license.

Perhaps a better bet is Guest PC http://www.lismoresystems.com/en/ which
includes an open-source DOS, and is US$79 for a 'family' license... and
has a trial-download version.

There are some open-source DOS emulators, but they're SLOW.

===============================================
remove 'nospam' when replying

In article <m3nor1tnu274oqdvjkjbmabmgpm5rk6gao@4ax.com>,
larryalk <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

> I have a Mac Mini and want to be able to run a few old MS-DOS apps
> like Wordstar, Supercalc and Q&A.
>
> They all run under standard DOS but I'd like to run them on the Mini.
>
> How? I've heard of Virtual PC but it seems to require running XP or
> 2000. Just plain old DOS would serve me just fine.
>
> Under Linus I run dosemu (Linux dos emulator) but have not found
> something like that for the Mac.
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Larry

Microsoft sells VPC with various recent Windows versions... they used to
sell a lower-priced DOS-only version for people who already owned a
Windows license.

Perhaps a better bet is Guest PC http://www.lismoresystems.com/en/ which
includes an open-source DOS, and is US$79 for a 'family' license... and
has a trial-download version.

There are some open-source DOS emulators, but they're SLOW.

===============================================
remove 'nospam' when replying

On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 23:42:04 GMT, larryalk <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

>I have a Mac Mini and want to be able to run a few old MS-DOS apps
>like Wordstar, Supercalc and Q&A.
>
>They all run under standard DOS but I'd like to run them on the Mini.
>
>How? I've heard of Virtual PC but it seems to require running XP or
>2000. Just plain old DOS would serve me just fine.

DosBox, which a nice chap has ported to OSX. Project home at
dosbox.sourceforge.net, and the OSX port at

http://www.holwegner.com/software/#DOSBox

Double-clicking on the .app in finder doesn't work for me (10.4.3) but
going in by command line to DosBox.App/Contents/MacOS and running the
DosBox from there works fine.

Cheers - Jaimie
--
panic("Foooooooood fight!");
-- /usr/src/linux/drivers/scsi/aha1542.c

On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 23:42:04 GMT, larryalk <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote:

>I have a Mac Mini and want to be able to run a few old MS-DOS apps
>like Wordstar, Supercalc and Q&A.
>
>They all run under standard DOS but I'd like to run them on the Mini.
>
>How? I've heard of Virtual PC but it seems to require running XP or
>2000. Just plain old DOS would serve me just fine.

DosBox, which a nice chap has ported to OSX. Project home at
dosbox.sourceforge.net, and the OSX port at

http://www.holwegner.com/software/#DOSBox

Double-clicking on the .app in finder doesn't work for me (10.4.3) but
going in by command line to DosBox.App/Contents/MacOS and running the
DosBox from there works fine.

Cheers - Jaimie
--
panic("Foooooooood fight!");
-- /usr/src/linux/drivers/scsi/aha1542.c

larryalk <nobody@nowhere.com> writes:
>
> How? I've heard of Virtual PC but it seems to require running XP or
> 2000. Just plain old DOS would serve me just fine.

Virtual PC is just what the name implies - a virtual PC. You can boot
almost any PC operating system in it (notable exceptions being operating
systems that use the 286-style protected memory model, like 16-bit OS/2
- VPC doesn't emulate that.)

Microsoft ships five VPC bundles:
- with XP Pro
- with XP Home
- with Win2K
- With nothing
- Upgrade

If you don't need a Windows license (because you already have Windows or
you plan on booting some other OS), then buy the copy that doesn't come
with any release of Windows. (This edition may not be available in all
stores, but it's on Microsoft's web site, so you can buy it.)

Using a USB floppy drive, you should be able to install DOS to a virtual
PC's emulated hard drive (or make images of the floppies and install
from them.)

-- David

larryalk <nobody@nowhere.com> writes:
>
> How? I've heard of Virtual PC but it seems to require running XP or
> 2000. Just plain old DOS would serve me just fine.

Virtual PC is just what the name implies - a virtual PC. You can boot
almost any PC operating system in it (notable exceptions being operating
systems that use the 286-style protected memory model, like 16-bit OS/2
- VPC doesn't emulate that.)

Microsoft ships five VPC bundles:
- with XP Pro
- with XP Home
- with Win2K
- With nothing
- Upgrade

If you don't need a Windows license (because you already have Windows or
you plan on booting some other OS), then buy the copy that doesn't come
with any release of Windows. (This edition may not be available in all
stores, but it's on Microsoft's web site, so you can buy it.)

Using a USB floppy drive, you should be able to install DOS to a virtual
PC's emulated hard drive (or make images of the floppies and install
from them.)

-- David