74 lines
4.6 KiB
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74 lines
4.6 KiB
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<!Converted with LaTeX2HTML 95.1 (Fri Jan 20 1995) by Nikos Drakos (nikos@cbl.leeds.ac.uk), CBLU, University of Leeds >
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<TITLE>1.7.2 Linux vs. MS-DOS</TITLE>
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<BR> <HR><A NAME=tex2html1992 HREF="node28.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="next" SRC="next_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1990 HREF="node25.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="up" SRC="up_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1984 HREF="node26.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="previous" SRC="previous_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1994 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="contents" SRC="contents_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1995 HREF="node250.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="index" SRC="index_motif.gif"></A> <BR>
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<B> Next:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1993 HREF="node28.html">1.7.3 Linux vs. The </A>
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<B>Up:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1991 HREF="node25.html">1.7 Differences Between Linux </A>
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<B> Previous:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1985 HREF="node26.html">1.7.1 Why use Linux?</A>
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<BR> <HR> <P>
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<H2><A NAME=SECTION00372000000000000000>1.7.2 Linux vs. MS-DOS</A></H2>
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<P>
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<A NAME=484> </A>
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It's not uncommon to run both Linux and MS-DOS on the same system.
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Many Linux users rely on MS-DOS for applications such as word processing.
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While Linux provides its own analogues for these applications (for
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example, <IMG BORDER=0 ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="img31.gif">), there are various reasons
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why a particular user would want to run MS-DOS as well as Linux.
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If your entire dissertation is written using WordPerfect
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for MS-DOS, you may not be able to easily convert it to <IMG BORDER=0 ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="img32.gif"> or some other
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format. There are many commercial applications for MS-DOS which aren't
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available for Linux, and there's no reason why you can't use both.
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<P>
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As you might know, MS-DOS does not fully utilize the functionality of the
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80386 and 80486 processors. On the other hand, Linux runs
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completely in the processor's protected mode, and exploits all of the
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features of the processor. You can directly access all of your
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available memory (and beyond, using virtual RAM). Linux provides a
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complete UNIX interface not available under MS-DOS---developing and
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porting UNIX applications under Linux is easily done, while under MS-DOS
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you are limited to a small subset of the UNIX programming functionality.
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Because Linux is a true UNIX system, you do not have these limitations.
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<P>
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We could debate the pros and cons of MS-DOS and Linux for pages on end.
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However, let it suffice to say that Linux and MS-DOS are completely
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different entities. MS-DOS is inexpensive (compared to other commercial
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operating systems), and has a strong foothold in the PC computing world.
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No other operating system for the PC has reached the
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level of popularity of MS-DOS---largely because the cost of these other
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operating systems is unapproachable to most personal computer users. Very
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few PC users can imagine spending $1000 or more on the operating system
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alone. Linux, however, is free, and you finally have the chance to decide.
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<P>
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We will allow you to make your own judgments of Linux and MS-DOS based on
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your expectations and needs. Linux is not for everybody. If you have always
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wanted to run a complete UNIX system at home, without the high cost of
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other UNIX implementations for the PC, Linux may be what you're looking for.
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<P>
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There are tools available to allow you to interact between Linux and MS-DOS.
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For example, it is easy to access MS-DOS files from Linux. There is also an
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MS-DOS emulator available, which allows you to run many popular
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MS-DOS applications. A Microsoft Windows emulator is currently under
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development.
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<P>
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<A NAME=485> </A>
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<P>
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<BR> <HR><A NAME=tex2html1992 HREF="node28.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="next" SRC="next_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1990 HREF="node25.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="up" SRC="up_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1984 HREF="node26.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="previous" SRC="previous_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1994 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="contents" SRC="contents_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1995 HREF="node250.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="index" SRC="index_motif.gif"></A> <BR>
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<B> Next:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1993 HREF="node28.html">1.7.3 Linux vs. The </A>
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<B>Up:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1991 HREF="node25.html">1.7 Differences Between Linux </A>
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<B> Previous:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1985 HREF="node26.html">1.7.1 Why use Linux?</A>
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<BR> <HR> <P>
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<BR> <HR>
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<P><ADDRESS>
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<I>Matt Welsh <BR>
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mdw@sunsite.unc.edu</I>
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</ADDRESS>
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</BODY>
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