DOS ain't dead

DOS for 64 bits? (Users)

posted by Rugxulo , Usono, 29.10.2025, 01:04

> > > > Can pdos run all ancient MSDOS programs, like Turbo Pascal, Norton
> > > > Commander, etc?
> > >
> > > It can't run any of them. You need to recompile for the x64
> > > platform.
>
> > Ok.
> > I'll have some work to do, then!
>
> The chances of any of those things being C90-compliant are
> close to zero, so it's not just a recompile that is required.

Turbo Pascal is not open source. Heck, it's not even redistributable. Supposedly it was mostly written in assembly. Workaround? You could try p2c (written in C) which may compile. It's easy to recompile it with DJGPP or Openatcom, for instance. I used that to port Pascal P4 (bytecode compiler and interpreter) to C (using GCC [EMX, DJGPP] or OpenWatcom). P4 is public domain but is not "Turbo" compatible, only classic Pascal (large subset). If you really want TP features (that are supported by C90) that will depend on p2c or other means (or maybe use FPC or Modula-2 or Oberon somehow). Granted, p2c is GPL but its translated output is not.

There are several file managers that mimic the Norton Commander interface written in Turbo Pascal (e.g. Connect or DOS Navigator), but I'm not sure how much of that will compile with only C90 (and no explicit subdir support). Granted, originally CP/M and even OberonOS never had subdirs, so for some things you can live without it. (I think the Oberon-based Active Oberon/AOS2 OS had subdir support.)

Dunno, not to be too simplistic, but I'm just grateful anything works.

Complete thread:

• DOS for 64 bits? - libz, 17.10.2025, 23:37 (Users)
  • DOS for 64 bits? - kerravon, 18.10.2025, 10:34
    • DOS for 64 bits? - kerravon, 18.10.2025, 10:38
      • DOS for 64 bits? - kerravon, 18.10.2025, 11:03
        • DOS for 64 bits? - libz, 22.10.2025, 22:00
          • DOS for 64 bits? - kerravon, 23.10.2025, 04:16
            • DOS for 64 bits? - kerravon, 23.10.2025, 04:29
            • DOS for 64 bits? - kerravon, 23.10.2025, 05:59
            • DOS for 64 bits? - libz, 27.10.2025, 12:07
              • DOS for 64 bits? - kerravon, 27.10.2025, 13:17
                • DOS for 64 bits? - Rugxulo, 29.10.2025, 01:04
                  • DOS for 64 bits? - Rugxulo, 29.10.2025, 01:06
                  • DOS for 64 bits? - marcov, 29.10.2025, 10:58
                • DOS for 64 bits? - libz, 07.11.2025, 16:47
                  • DOS for 64 bits? - kerravon, 08.11.2025, 00:50