DOS ain't dead

Is there a DOS with source code available written in assembly (Announce)

posted by ecm  , Düsseldorf, Germany, 14.04.2026, 12:29

> ML is indeed Machine Language. I program more than 40 years and this is the
> first time that someone says ML means Meta Language. I know, ML is
> originally meant to be used for the binary code and I should use the word
> assembly.

Indeed, I would expect assembly language for this.

> I haven't thought of MS-DOS 4.01 but that one is, more or less, a monster
> IMHO. But thanks anyway for the pointer.

I ported the kernel to build using NASM + WarpLink, refer to https://pushbx.org/ecm/web/#projects-ldos

I also used to work on RxDOS (there's MASM, A86, and NASM ports around) and Enhanced DR-DOS (originally a mix of RASM86 and MASM/JWasm, I ported it to NASM too, SvarDOS ported everything to JWasm). All three have kernels entirely in assembly language.

MS-DOS v4.00 is permissively licensed, RxDOS is GPL any version copylefted, and EDR-DOS is a little murkier, I used it under these usage conditions: https://pushbx.org/ecm/download/edrdos/license.htm

There used to be source texts available for a fork or variant (?) of PTS-DOS called S/DOS, but I don't know where to obtain that or the usage conditions. I assume that's in assembly language too.

---
l

Complete thread:

• Is there a DOS with source code available written in ML? - Ruud, 13.04.2026, 08:31 (Announce)
  • Is there a DOS with source code available written in ML? - kerravon, 13.04.2026, 09:10
    • Is there a DOS with source code available written in ML? - Oso2k, 13.04.2026, 19:12
      • Is there a DOS with source code available written in ML? - Ruud, 14.04.2026, 09:17
        • Is there a DOS with source code available written in assembly - ecm, 14.04.2026, 12:29
        • Is there a DOS with source code available written in ML? - Oso2k, 15.04.2026, 21:27
  • Is there a DOS with source code available written in ML? - rr, 15.04.2026, 21:41
    • Is there a DOS with source code available written in ML? - Ruud, 20.04.2026, 09:56
      • Is there a DOS with source code available written in ML? - Rugxulo, 21.04.2026, 02:10