What do you get when they throw in a free DOS?

[giddyup]

I'm going to buy a Lenovo All-in-One desktop and some models have Windows 10 installed free and others just say "free DOS". I know it stands for Disk Operating System, but what can you actually do with it, do you still need to install Windows?

[bendejo]

FreeDOS is an open source version of the OS for what used to be called the IBM-PC.  I never hear it mentioned except when people are buying new computers in SEA, and I guess it is there so that when you buy your computer you can see that it is a functioning computer and not just a case filled with garbage.  There might be a throwback community out there that is all for it, sort of like for vinyl records .

 

http://www.freedos.org/

 

 

[Oxx]

DOS isn't going to meet anyone's needs for a modern desktop computer.  It became obsolete in that role in the early 90s with the introduction of Microsoft Windows 3.1.

 

You don't, however, need to pay for and install Microsoft Windows.  You can get a vastly superior operating system, Linux, for free.  It comes in lots of different flavours.  Many of them you can boot from a thumbdrive (or DVD) and try them to see which you prefer.  The two I'd suggest looking at first are:

 

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

 

and

 

https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php  (the Cinnamon version).

[giddyup]

14 minutes ago, Oxx said:

DOS isn't going to meet anyone's needs for a modern desktop computer.  It became obsolete in that role in the early 90s with the introduction of Microsoft Windows 3.1.

 

You don't, however, need to pay for and install Microsoft Windows.  You can get a vastly superior operating system, Linux, for free.  It comes in lots of different flavours.  Many of them you can boot from a thumbdrive (or DVD) and try them to see which you prefer.  The two I'd suggest looking at first are:

 

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

 

and

 

https://www.linuxmint.com/download.php  (the Cinnamon version).

Thanks

[roban]

34 minutes ago, giddyup said:

....

In short words: An unusable machine, until you install a "real" OS, like Windows or Linux.

[giddyup]

21 minutes ago, roban said:

In short words: An unusable machine, until you install a "real" OS, like Windows or Linux.

Makes you wonder why Lenovo even bother to mention it if you can't do anything with it.

[Oxx]

4 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Makes you wonder why Lenovo even bother to mention it if you can't do anything with it.

 

I'm inclined to agree.  However, you could use it to download a proper operating system.  (It includes a rudimentary web browser.)

 

It also allows users to install SATA disk support, which is a prerequisite for installing some old version of Windows.

 

Also, if the machine were to be running for a dedicated purpose, such as downloading torrents, you could do this with DOS.  (FreeDOS includes a bittorrent client.)

 

Finally, there are still plenty of applications out there that are DOS-based, such as some POS terminals.  The hardware requirements are much less than those to run Windows, so the equipment is much cheaper.

 

 

[giddyup]

7 minutes ago, Oxx said:

 

I'm inclined to agree.  However, you could use it to download a proper operating system.  (It includes a rudimentary web browser.)

 

It also allows users to install SATA disk support, which is a prerequisite for installing some old version of Windows.

 

Also, if the machine were to be running for a dedicated purpose, such as downloading torrents, you could do this with DOS.  (FreeDOS includes a bittorrent client.)

 

Finally, there are still plenty of applications out there that are DOS-based, such as some POS terminals.  The hardware requirements are much less than those to run Windows, so the equipment is much cheaper.

 

 

Thanks for the answer, guess I might as well buy one of the Lenovo's that has Windows 10 installed.

[ignis]

16 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Makes you wonder why Lenovo even bother to mention it if you can't do anything with it.

 

So would you want 'NeoKylin ' there own Chinese Band OS installed ?

 

Many places you buy a PC/Laptop will install a OS of your chose for you for around 3 - 500 baht. likewise many sell genuine Microsoft if you want a  genuine M$ product

[Chicog]

Make sure you get a legal copy or you are opening yourself to problems down the line.

 

 

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, Chicog said:

Make sure you get a legal copy or you are opening yourself to problems down the line.

 

 

Already learnt that lesson.

[roban]

22 hours ago, Oxx said:

 

I'm inclined to agree.  However, you could use it to download a proper operating system.  (It includes a rudimentary web browser.)

 

It also allows users to install SATA disk support, which is a prerequisite for installing some old version of Windows.

 

Also, if the machine were to be running for a dedicated purpose, such as downloading torrents, you could do this with DOS.  (FreeDOS includes a bittorrent client.)

 

Finally, there are still plenty of applications out there that are DOS-based, such as some POS terminals.  The hardware requirements are much less than those to run Windows, so the equipment is much cheaper.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, but the OP wants to buy a brand new machine, he didn't ask how to revive his old Win95 - Pentium 2 PC. 

Additionally, I'm not sure, if a modern machine would even boot with (Free) Dos, because of the lack of drivers?

 

Edited October 4, 2016 by roban

[Pib]

A lot of computers are sold without legal Windows installed, especially in 3rd world nations like Thailand.  The manufacturers will include a free Linux install like Ubuntu and/or FreeDOS.     They don't include Windows because that will raise the price of the computer and they know (but will not admit) the buyer will just install a pirated copy of Windows for a few hundred baht or nothing   And a small percentage only want to use Linux.

 

[z9999]

Computers sold with Free DOS allow those who do not wish to run a MS OS to purchase a computer and install their choice of an OS without paying for an OS they will ultimately delete. If you prefer a MS OS find the same model computer with the desired OS pre-installed, and pay the extra added cost of the OS. If you prefer Linux or some other OS, save the cost of the MS OS and buy the computer with Free DOS and install what you like. Personally, I would like the choice of buying any computer I wanted without any pre-installed OS as I always install a Linux distribution and am sometimes forced to pay for a MS OS which will be deleted in order to purchase a computer with all the hardware and features I desire.