Free translations: copy the URL of this page and click on one of these links! Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese,    French, German, Russian, Spanish,    Arabic, Thai.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR PERSONAL OPERATING SYSTEM IN A FLOPPY DISK Selected links to other sites: DOS Softwares Informatic Dictionary

The course on this page was made especially to assist missionary and humanitarian educational projects against digital divide in underpriveledged areas globally.

This page is linked in many fine sites like: http://www.docdos.de/, http://www.8ung.at/dos/drsupp.htm#otherhelp, http://www.drdos.net/links.htm, http://dosonly.net/links.htm, http://www.opendos.de/links.htm, http://Reset00.com. And of course in sites where I received the awards and in the principal search engines like Google.
 
 

LESSONS (HOW TO MAKE YOUR LESSONS)

The history of this course is a bit complex, but I'll try to simplify it. At the beginning (about July, 2000) I started writing 6 simple and easy computer programming lessons in Italian, my native language, for children. To make them more accessible to a wider audience I included an English 'Translation' button at the top of every page.

But soon after I also wrote this web site in English to assist English speaking teachers from all over the world in preparing better computer based courses for children.

I used Microsoft MS-DOS in the lessons due to the widespread availibility of this operating system. The majority of you have a version of MS-DOS somewhere in your home or office and so it is legal to build a floppy with MS-DOS inside.

Microsoft MS-DOS English lessons are on this page in note form here:

Because I later found that many persons do not have or that they are too poor to own a copy of Microsoft MS-DOS, I added the Freeware DOS English lessons you will find here:

Inside the notes you will find the locations of the files you need in your computer and the file locations (URL's) of files you need to download from the internet, and how to put them on your floppy diskettes. Solutions are marked with easy little floppies. These are the legends:
 

bad solution for a floppy

not so bad for a floppy

good solution for a floppy

THE LESSON PLANS

The Italian/English lessons are the reference points for this course: They are absolutely easy and they were designed for children who have only basic reading and writing skills. This is the reason that there are 6 lessons instead of just a brief table of programs to download from your hard disk or from the net. Explain to your children that you are going to do this in 6 easy steps instead of just telling them: download this, download that!

I give you now the English translations of the original Italian lessons for developing your own personal computer courses.
 

Lesson 0 (for teachers): lessons are in number of 6 for the assembly of the operating system IN A FLOPPY DISK, every lesson last about 30 minutes, it is better to teach only a lesson in a day (two lessons if you use more than 30 minutes), you can use a computer without hard disk and sound card, be careful due to the experiments because they can damage the Pc, Microsoft products must be paid, Freeware products not, Shareware occasionally may became Freeware for schools, however teachers must read terms and conditions of every software before to use it (this thing can take a lot of time, as the time of a long lesson).

Lesson 1: how to make a bootable floppy disk using a commercial Microsoft DOS, or a freeware (for not commercial uses too) DOS. For example:
 

Usually other files are presents after the boot operation. Delete them. We'll use only these three for all the lessons.

Lesson 2: to add Win95 Edit or a not Microsoft DOS editor in the bootable floppy and to play with it writing, saving and printing letters.txt to your friends.

Lesson 3: to make bootable Edit (or the other editor) writing a particular letter called autoexec.bat. This letter is not for your friends. It is read by the computer.

autoexec.bat
a:\edit.com

This lesson can be very "small", but children are still engaged with the use of the combinations of the keyboard keys of the Editor.

Lesson 4: what is a driver and to add some drivers (mouse driver, virtual hard disk driver).

Lesson 5: how to load the operating system into the virtual hard disk. Pratically an entire lesson on these two rows:

copy *.* ramdisk:
set comspec=ramdisk:\command.com

Substitute ramdisk with the letter of the drive to install all the floppy in ramdisk (example: copy *.* d:) and to move the operating system control from the command.com in the floppy to the command.com opied in ramdisk (example: setcomspec=d:\command.com).

In this lesson you can teach the start.bat command with the vol search (find many versions of start.bat after these first notes). This is the core to find the right drive letter where to install the floppy:

findramd.bat
@echo off
echo ***** DR-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "VDISK".        ****
echo ***** MS-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "MS-RAMDRIVE". ****
echo ***** Letters before ramdisk: HARD DISKS - After ramdisk: may be CD-ROM ****
vol c:
vol d:
vol e:
vol f:
vol g:
vol h:
echo ****************************************************************************

I use it in the Italian lessons as it is, calling it findramd.bat, so to teach only two commands of command.com: echo and vol. Findramd.bat sounds like the findramd.exe of the Windows 98 boot floppy, capable to give the ramdisk in a batch thing called errorlevel. Another variation called "FINDDRD" may be found at: http://www.owenduffy.com.au/software/finddrd.htm.

Lesson 6 : how to complete the operating system with sound and user interface, how to make bootable the user interface (Microsoft Dosshell or other) rewriting autoexec.bat. For example:

autoexec.bat
a:\dosshell.exe

Understand the meaning of these 6 lessons you can build yourself easily the course.
 

AFTER THE LESSONS

I studied a lot the possibility to put an operating system on a floppy disk with good graphics, games and more. So I added notes about some particular programs useful in the few space of a floppy. Then I decided to solve a problem: to obtain a floppy with the parameters of the QNX Demo Floppy (with a graphic web browser and a graphic user interface) but capable to be made by a child.

I solved it with the discovery at the end of the year 2000 of the DR-DOS property to be loaded as boot floppy in a 1.72 MB floppy prepared with Superformat2_7.exe (no web page was presents in internet about this property before my pubblication) and an appropriate use of the graphic browser Arachne and the graphic user interface Desktop2. You can find the results here:

CONCLUSIONS

This course don't teach you how to use a prepared package like Mulinux (a Linux in a floppy), but how to assemble your personal package! Instead of to use, you learn!

To do this for children only capable to read and write (I don't use the age to describe a child, but the knowledge) I use DOS resources in this educative way: lessons are only how to find DOS bricks (the programs, like a lego game, and how to build them for assembling the personal operating system of the children in their single floppy. Of course these bricks must be easy to use.
 

THIS COURSE AND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

Because this world is made up for the totality by the poor (today over 5 billion of humans live in poverty), this course WILL show you immediately how to have all the power you need from the new technologies without to pay for them.

You need only a floppy to do this. That's all.

This course is made for a "near to freeware computer", without hard disk and sound card. An old  computer without hard disk and sound card has only a "symbolic price", but after you'll can put your floppy in all the computers!

At the end of this page you will find Authors against Digital Divide. Read it!

Now you need only the notes to build your personal operating system with DOS bricks.  It is really like a LEGO brick game!
 

DOS BRICKS

INTRODUCTION TO THE DOS

We'll do it all with DOS. But what is DOS?
It's easy to define the DOS world.
DOS core is only three programs: command.com, io.sys called also ibmbio.sys, msdos.sys called also ibmdos.sys.

IO.SYS is the KERNEL to DOS, COMMAND.COM is the command interpreter...

DOS loads like this:

Master Boot Record -> Boot Sector -> IO.SYS (reads msdos.sys) -> runs through CONFIG.SYS -> runs COMMAND.COM -> runs AUTOEXEC.BAT.
 

SUITES

Microsoft MS-DOS is the original, commercial only, suite: it includes (apart the three fundamental programs) over 30/50 little programs, from the program to format the disks to the program to write a letter...

If you have the old MS-DOS floppies damaged for the time you can download a Microsoft MS-DOS boot disk (with the files you need for the lessons) from this fine site: http://www.bootdisk.com/ . Remember that you MUST be in possession of your legal copy if you want to use it.
But there are other suites:
 

PC DOS	commercial suite	-	http://www-ibm.com/software/os/dos
DR-DOS	commercial suite, freeware for not commercial uses	D	http://www.8ung.at/dos/download.htm
ROM-DOS	commercial embedded suite	D	http://www.datalight.com/demos-b.htm
SuperDOS	commercial suite	-	http://www.bluebird.com/SuperDOS.htm
i3DOS	commercial suite	-	http://www.i3-micro.com/i3dos32.html
PTS-DOS	shareware suite	D	http://www.phystechsoft.com/en/download.html
PDOS	freeware suite	D	http://freespace.virgin.net/paul.edwards3/program.htm
FREEDOS	freeware suite	D	http://www.freedos.org/freedos/files

( D = Download available )

Other suites can be found in the net, especially old versions
(in http://disvr.cjb.net/dos/dls.html you will download for example MS-DOS versions from 1.25 to above or PC-DOS versions from 1.10 to above ).

But remember that usually a suite is big (various MB). It is made for a hard disk. Rarely it is for embedded systems.
 

SINGLE PROGRAMS

DOS has over 20 years and today single programs can be found in the net as commercial, shareware, freeware or still beta (the name of an experimental program, not yet finished) resource.
 

COMMAND.COM

Single command interpreters can be found:
 

4DOS	shareware replacement	D	ftp://ftp.ua.pt/pub/simtelnet/msdos/4dos (4dos602.zip) http:/ www.jpsoft.com/jpbeta.htm (version 7.0 beta)
MOE-DOS	beta replacement	D	http://moe-dos.port5.com/
DOG	freeware replacement	D	http://dog.sourceforge.net/main/main.php
COMMAND2	joke "replacement"	D	http://keypusher.tripod.com/pranks.htm

( D = Download available )

Other command.com replacements can be found in the net, but usually they are old:

DOS-C is a freeware for not commercial uses replacement for the original command.com (since 1993 kernel of the FREEDOS suite) and can be downloaded in http://sunsite.lanet.lv/ftp/mirror/x2ftp/msdos/programming/hardware/dosc090.zip. But it is an old 1994 version.
 

WHAT DOS WE WILL USE?

We'll use DR-DOS, because it can be used as freeware for not commercial uses. It has a complete suite where to find all the files you need, because it has the three fundamental programs VERY LITTLE, and because it can accept to be loaded as boot operating system in a 1.72 MB floppy disk...

In any case I dedicated some parts of these notes (and a course in Italian for the children) about Microsoft MS-DOS because its diffusion. Probably you have a copy of it, somewhere, at home or at school...
 
 

PATHS OF THIS COURSE

MS-DOS FIRST VERSION

MS-DOS is not freeware. So the following notes are interesting only if you have MS-DOS in your computer or your school has the permission from Microsoft to use it (or if you want to know more about some brick solutions not described in the freeware part). If you want to read only the freeware DOS part, please go here.
 

We'll use MS-DOS from version 6.22 to above. This is the first MS-DOS version (Win95 version 7.10) of the assembled OS for the children I made for this course:
 

boot files command.com  93.9 KB> io.sys   209 KB msdos.sys   0 Bytes drivers himem.sys  32.5 KB ramdrive.sys  12.4 KB mouse.exe   107 KB mouse.lan  3.82 KB mscdex.exe  24.8 KB vide-cdd.sys  10.9 KB

principal programs edit.com  69.0 KB edit.hlp  13.2 KB dosshell.exe  232 KB dosshell.com  4.54 KB dosshell.hlp   188 KB dosshell.grb 4.31 KB dosshell.vid  9.24 KB dosshell.ini  16.0 KB dosswap.exe  18.3 KB

compression programs pkzip.exe  41.1 KB pkunzip.exe  28.6 KB secondary programs ombra.zip  96.0 KB showjpg.zip  20.4 KB ... ...

You can see that I've not installed some important DOS files. This is because:

1) I used a very easy configuration.
2) They are too big (the web is full of the same files but littler). For example:
 

MICROSOFT MS-DOS choice.com    5.22 KB

Jem E. Berkes ask.com       67 Bytes

You can find the fine FREEWARE ask.com here: http://www.pc-tools.net/dos/freeware.

3) Some programs, for example ombra, do not use these files.

If you find Dosshell unable to work with some graphics, this is not a bad thing. I use it in a lesson to explain that Dosshell has a bug: it is not able to understand if it can or cannot to use these graphic modes, and children can play with the graphic choice in search of their first "manual" debug...

The best of the learning with few. Thanks to Microsoft.
 

HOW TO MAKE THIS FLOPPY

Turn on your computer. If you use MS-DOS type at the prompt format a: /s.
With Windows 95/98, click on computer resources, click on the floppy icon and format it with the boot option. Alternatively you may also go to a dos prompt and type format a: /s with the Windows 95/98 operative system also.
MS-DOS and Windows 95 will install the three boot files plus drvspace.bin: delete it. Windows 98 includes other files: delete them.
If you use MS-DOS and you don't see some files, don't worry. Type at the prompt dir /a a:. They are hidden.

In MS-DOS you will find the drivers himem.sys, mscdex.exe, ramdrive.sys, and the editor files edit.* in the directory \Dos. In Windows 95/98 they are in the directory \Windows\Command. Copy them as they are in the floppy.

**************
The Dos editor edit.com (413 bytes only) requires Dos Qbasic.exe 194.4 Kb also found in the c:\dos directory.
But you can use for purpose of this first disk, a fine program, Terse, which is a tiny free text editor, written by Yossi Gil, and can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/disk_operative_system/dir/dl/terse12.zip

**************

For the mouse.* files, you need the MS-DOS mouse driver (you can freely download it from the site http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q192/9/47.asp ). For the Dosshell.* files you need the MS-DOS 6.22 supplemental disk (you can freely download it from the site ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/mslfiles/SUP622.EXE) or alternatively from http://www.geocities.com/disk_operative_system/sup622.zip if you have HTML only browser.

After having unpacked them, copy in the floppy only the mentioned files, as they are.

For CD driver I use a driver called vide-cdd.sys, capable to work with almost all the IDE CD devices:
 

Acer Peripherals vide-cdd.sys    10.9 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://www.acerperipherals.com/ss_download/apicd214.exe

Unpack the zipped file (full with other files) and copy the driver as is in the floppy.

If your CD device will not work after the reboot, don't worry because your hardware configuration isn't correct or your CD is SCSI. If your CD device don't work go in this very fine site and search the universal CD drivers: http://www.bootdisk.com/. But in 99% vide-cdd.sys works well.

I used for compression programs an old pkzip / pkunzip version. You can find these fine SHAREWARE (but freely usable for not commercial uses) compression programs here: http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~chriso/techno/index.html.

Unpack the zipped file and copy only pkzip.exe and pkunzip.exe in the floppy.

For secondary programs I chose two graphic programs as example.
You can find these fine FREEWARE secondary (zipped) bricks here:

ombra : http://www.enet.it/hpg/ew/rick.htm
showjpg : http://www.pictview.com/showjpg.htm

Don't unpack them. Put them in the floppy as they are.

That's all. The rest of the work is made by these config.sys, autoexec.bat, start.bat and findramd.bat:

config.sys:
device=a:\himem.sys
device=a:\ramdrive.sys 8192 /e
device=a:\vide-cdd.sys / d:ananas /L:US /P:1F0,14 /P:170,15 /P:1E8,12 /P:168,10

autoexec.bat:
a:\mscdex.exe / d:ananas /M:10
a:\mouse.exe

start.bat:
a:\pkunzip *.zip  %1:
set comspec=%1:\ command.com
%1:
%1:\dosshell.exe

findramd.bat
@echo off
echo ***** DR-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "VDISK".        ****
echo ***** MS-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "MS-RAMDRIVE". ****
echo ***** Letters before ramdisk: HARD DISKS - After ramdisk: may be CD-ROM ****
vol c:
vol d:
vol e:
vol f:
vol g:
vol h:
echo ****************************************************************************

Copy and paste these files using notepad. Save them, with the name above, directly in the floppy.

Now put the floppy in the computer and turn on it. When the operating system is loaded, type findramd at the prompt and read where is the ramdisk (if you don't find it probably himem.sys or ramdrive.sys are damaged, or you have made a mistake with the copy & paste of config.sys or findramd.bat). Then type start with the ramdisk letter. For example start d. That's all for your first experiment!

I invite you to make at home many other versions with many other bricks to give to the children at school the right version.

MS-DOS SECOND VERSION

In this second version I invite you to study other little DOS bricks  For example change the two graphic programs with pictview, due to the size: zipped is 105 KB!

You can download this fine Freeware program from the site http://www.pictview.com/pictview.zip.

Change the initial configuration to see if it is possible to give to the children an assembled operative system with a larger portability. For example, try to change Dosshell with Desktop. You can download this fine Freeware DOS GUI from the webpage
http://wwwisg.cs.uni-magdeburg.de/~fritter/Desktop.html.

Change the big Microsoft mouse driver with cutemouse (from version 1.8 the two old drivers for PS/2 and serial mice are unified). You can find this fine Freeware driver in this webpage: http://cutemouse.sourcforge.net. Unpack it in Windows and put the driver in your language, as it is, directly in the floppy.
Please, look at this important educative particular:
 

MICROSOFT MS-DOS mouse driver mouse.exe 107 KB (mouse.lan 3.82 KB can be omitted)

Nagy Daniel    mouse driver ctmouse.exe 4.65 KB !!!

Invite your children to think about these interesting paradoxes: a billion dollar machine like Microsoft erased by Nagy Daniel (and Arkady V.Belousov :-)

These are the config.sys and the autoexec.bat files for this floppy configuration:

config.sys:
device=a:\himem.sys
device=a:\ramdrive.sys 8192 /e
device=a:\vide-cdd.sys /d:ananas /L:US /P:1F0,14 /P:170,15 /P:1E8,12 /P:168,10

autoexec.bat:
a:\mscdex.exe /d:ananas /M:10
a:\ctmouse.exe

From this version findramd.bat is included in the following start.bat I wrote to add a bit of portability to the children's OS.

start.bat:
@echo off
if not "%1"=="" goto start
echo ***** DR-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "VDISK".         ****
echo ***** MS-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "MS-RAMDRIVE".   ****
echo ***** Letters before RAM DISK: HARD DISKS - After RAM DISK: may be CD-ROM ****
vol c:
vol d:
vol e:
vol f:
vol g:
vol h:
echo *****************************************************************************
goto end
:start
md %1:\dsk2
md %1:\dsk2\temp
md %1:\dsk2\graphic
rem insert here other directories
copy a:\*.*  %1:\dsk2
set comspec=%1:\dsk2\command.com
set path=%1:\dsk2;%1:\dsk2\arachne
set temp=%1:\dsk2\temp
%1:
pkunzip pictview.zip %1:\dsk2\graphic
rem insert here other zip programs with the destination directory
rem as "pkunzip x.zip %1:\dsk2\directory where to unzip x.zip"
pkunzip dsk2-eng.zip
%1:\
cd dsk2\desktop2
install.bat
:end

Use: start [x]
Type start to know the ramdisk letter, and start with the ramdisk letter only (for example: start c) to install the programs in ramdisk.

In this way the operating system runs ONLY inside the directory dsk2, without to change any data in your Pc if you however make an error installing it in an hard disk.
You also can use this "sleeping" operating system in your hard disk calling it with an easy bootable floppy, with this line in the floppy config.sys:

However, you must don't have a directory called dsk2 in your hard disk...

You can try this configuration with another GUI. For example, Seal. You can find the fine Seal DOS GUI here: http://seal.pmad.net/.
Try it in other school experiments!
 

MS-DOS THIRD VERSION: HOW MANY BRICKS WE NEED FOR A COMPUTER ?

Few. Try this configuration:
 

boot files command.com  93.9 KB io.sys   209 KB msdos.sys   0 Bytes drivers himem.sys  32.5 KB ramdrive.sys  12.4 KB ctmouse.exe  4.65 KB mscdex.exe  24.8 KB vide-cdd.sys  10.9 KB

principal programs dc.com     47.9 KB dc.doc     3.16 KB dc.txt     3.09 KB dc.ext   114 Bytes dc.mnu   225 Bytes start.bat   xxx Bytes

compression programs pkzip.exe  41.1 KB pkunzip.exe  28.6 KB secondary programs disp189a.zip   722 KB ... ...

As you can see I changed edit and dosshell with dc, and the graphic brick pictview with display (disp189a.zip) capable to show also things like mpeg and avi.
You can find these fine FREEWARE programs here:

dc : http://members.cox.net/dos/fileman2.htm
display : http://www.go.dlr.de/fresh/pc/src/misc/disp189a.zip

I added dc in principal programs (instead of a zipped file in secondary program) only to show you better the change. Put it freely in zipped form.
However, if ramdisk don't start, it is better to have an editor and a file manager unzipped in the floppy disk, like dc.
Don't forget to use the good dc internal editor when you have installed dc on the floppy.

And now, let's talk about Display: use version 1.89a if you have old computers and versions from 1.9 to above if you have new computers. Infact Display from 1.9 supports only VESA (it's better VESA 2.0 minimum). Because the universal VESA driver is big for a floppy, if you have a 486 or version 1.9 gives you some problems, use version 1.89a.

You can find Display latest version in this fine site: http://fn2.freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/~crnelson/display.html.

Try it with a mpeg1 audio/video that can be downloaded in a single floppy from the site http://www.uakom.sk/multimedia/mpeg. With it you can see also movies or educationals mpeg CD.

I think this is a good configuration for the schools but Dos Controller (dc), the File Manager, is not graphic and has a big problem: I chose it because it was very small, but it don't read the CD driver... So, probably you will change it with others.
 

OTHER VERSIONS

After this third version I assembled many other versions. Not all the versions are interesting for children (they are used only by myself...). So I'll wait a bit before to show you something else.
As you can see you can do all the assembles you desire (or you need) for your course.
 

EXAMPLE: A VERSION FOR YOUNG WRITERS You need only a keyboard driver, a good professional editor, and a compression software to storage children's work directly in the same floppy disk of the operating system. Standard internal keyboard map is only American. If you are Finnish, Greek, Japanese, etc. you need to install a keyboard driver map to give at the characters on your keyboard the same output on the screen. In Microsoft MS-DOS these files are: keyb.com, keyboard.sys or keybrd2.sys, country.sys, mode.com and display.sys. But not all the languages are included. So you must find yourself your keyboard driver in internet. If you are lucky you can find an editor with all the drivers included (usually this happens with the languages written by ideograms). You will find a lot of informations on how to install all these bricks using the help DOS command. Please note this very nice Microsoft paradox for your lesson: keyb.com is a driver (loaded in autoexec.bat), keyboard.sys or keybrd2.sys not! Microsoft has inverted the extensions: if you try to load keyboard.sys or keybrd2.sys like drivers, the computer goes down!!! If you make an orthographic debug of your work, you need an ortographic debugger working in your language (and not only in english), or debug will became impossible or full of errors. This happens with many other editor functions too. In this case you must search an editor written in your language, and this may be very difficult for some nations, especially for some rare languages. If you need software in your language, you can go in this fine site: http://www.vada.nl/softtaal.htm. THE FREEWARE DOS EDITOR LANGUAGE TABLE LANGUAGE NAME WEB-ADDRESS Dutch French ... editV edit ... http://www.xs4all.nl/~ferguson/dosedit.html http://www.mysunrise.ch/users/gdm/gsoft.htm ... If you need a Japanese or a Chinese editor for DOS try two not freeware but freely usable editors from this fine site: http://www.njstar.com/. The world of the DOS editors is not my preferred argument. So feel free to help me!!! If you can use the American keyboard and the english language all it's easy and without drivers to add. I council you for the American keyboard and the english language this little brick (a bit difficult...):   Craig Hessel ezedit.com    4.00 KB You will find this fine editor here: http://www.geocities.com/craig_hessel (at the end of the page) Enjoy.

TREASURE ;-)

DR-DOS FIRST VERSION: PREPARE THE DR-DOS MASTER FLOPPY

OK! This is the MAP of the TREASURE!
DR-DOS is freeware for not commercial uses. So you can download it from this very fine site: http://www.8ung.at/dos/download.htm (be careful: file's size is over 6 MB). Put it in a directory and click on dr703.exe (or newer versions if the number changes) and you will obtain the extraction of the compressed files in the same directory: if you can, install DR-DOS in your computer, but if you can't there is no problem to make your DR-DOS floppy disk!

To install the DR-DOS boot files (command.com, ibmbio.com, ibmdos.com) depends from which operating system you are working:
 

DR-DOS	type at the prompt sys a:
MS-DOS	download ftp://ftp.lineo.com/pub/drdos/DR-DOS.703/images/disk01.144, ftp://ftp.lineo.com/pub/drdos/DR-DOS.703/images/diskcopy.com, and type at the prompt diskcopy disk01.144 a:
Linux/Unix	download ftp://ftp.lineo.com/pub/drdos/DR-DOS.703/images/disk01.144, and type at the prompt dd if=disk01.144 of=/dev/fd0
Windows	go in this very fine site: http://www.bootdisk.com/. Click on  DrDOS 7.X or similar. You'll download a file called drdflash.exe. Then click on drdflash.exe.

After the process you'll have a true DR-DOS boot floppy disk with the boot files command.com, ibmbio.com, ibmdos.com, (and other files if you used disk01.144 or drdflash.exe).

One of the boot files created by disk01.144 or drdflash.exe is automatically executed to install DR-DOS to the hard drive in the computer on boot up with this disk. Delete this file called autoexec.bat and the one called config.sys from your new DR-DOS boot disk. Then copy all of the remaining files to a directory on your hard drive to use some of them later. Once you have a copy of all of the remaining DR-DOS files, delete the other files from the floppy. I'll give you the right files after.

Now you have your DR-DOS bootable floppy disk!

Continue this work: go in the directory where you leaved DR-DOS and copy these files into the floppy disk: himem.sys, vdisk.sys, drmouse.com, nwcdex.exe, sys.com, ibmbio.com and ibmdos.com.

You have already copied ibmbio.com and ibmdos.com when you have made the bootable floppy disk, but those files are hidden and not easily usable for the sys.com command. The same files in the DR-DOS directory are visible.
Why this tortuous path? This is because if you are in Windows, Linux, MS-DOS, etcetera, and you try to use some DR-DOS commands, they go in conflict with the commands of the other operating system ;-)

Now you can delete the DR-DOS files from your hard drive or save them in case you would like to use them later.

Find the differences between one of the MS-DOS latest version (not freeware for all the uses...) and DR-DOS latest version (freeware for not commercial uses):
 

If you want, feel free to delete drmouse.com changing it with cutemouse. You can find this fine driver in this webpage: http://cutemouse.sourceforge.net/. Unpack it in Windows and put the driver in your language directly in the DR-DOS floppy.
 

Caldera DR-DOS mouse driver drmouse.com    17.1 KB

Nagy Daniel    mouse driver ctmouse.exe   4.65 KB

Ok, where is the swindle? Effectively, DR-DOS is not 100% compatible with MS-DOS. So, some programs may don't work on DR-DOS (an example is the tree.bat made for MS-DOS: the options in dir %1 /s/ad/b/on are not well read).
Now add the text editor.

In the extracted files there is the DR-DOS Edit, but it is worse than MS-DOS Edit!!! DR-DOS Edit size is over 100 KB, it is poor in functions, and if you try to read (only read) a file from the CD appear the message "Disk error - Disk is physically write protected". So use another freeware editor, small and much better than DR-DOS Edit, starting from 4 KB to above! You can find what you need in this fine page: http://members.cox.net/dos/txted01.htm.

If you want, feel free to delete nwcdex.exe changing it with shsucdx.exe. You can find this fine driver in this webpage: http://www.shsu.edu/~csc_jhm/.
 

Microsoft MS-DOS mscdex.exe    24.8 KB

Caldera DR-DOS nwcdex.exe    21.2 KB

John H. McCoy shsucdx.exe   15.3 KB

Unpack it in Windows and put the driver shsucdx.exe directly in the DR-DOS floppy as it is.
 

For CD driver I use a driver called vide-cdd.sys, capable to work with almost all the IDE CD devices:
 

Acer Peripherals vide-cdd.sys    10.9 KB

You will find this fine program here: ftp://ftp.acercm-eu.com/cd-rom/drivers/apicd214.exe

Unpack the zipped file (full with other files) and put the driver as is in the floppy.

These are the modified autoexec.bat and config.sys to use shsucdx.exe and vide-cdd.sys with DR-DOS:

config.sys:
devicehigh=a:\himem.sys
devicehigh=a:\vdisk.sys 8192 /e
devicehigh= a:\vide-cdd.sys /d:ananas /L:US /P:1F0,14 /P:170,15 /P:1E8,12 /P:168,10

autoexec.bat:
a:\shsucdx.exe /d:ananas,d,,1
a:\ctmouse.exe

And this is the start.bat you'll use to install all the floppy in ramdisk ( copy *.* %1:\) and to move the operating system control from the command.com in the floppy to the command.com copied in ramdisk ( set comspec=%1:\command.com).

start.bat
@echo off
if not "%1"=="" goto start
echo ***** DR-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "VDISK".       ****
echo ***** MS-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "MS-RAMDRIVE". ****
echo ***** Letters before ramdisk: HARD DISKS - After ramdisk: may be CD-ROM ****
vol c:
vol d:
vol e:
vol f:
vol g:
vol h:
echo ****************************************************************************
goto end
:start
copy *.* %1:\
%1:
set comspec=%1:\command.com
set path=%1:\
:end

Use: start [x]
Type start to know the ramdisk letter, and start with the ramdisk letter only (for example: start c) to install the programs in ramdisk.

Ok? Now you have your master DR-DOS floppy!

If you will make another bootable DR-DOS floppy disk you only turn on the computer with the master floppy inside, copy all the floppy in ramdisk, change the master floppy with one clean, and from the ramdisk give the command sys a:. And you'll obtain the bootable floppy disk you desire!!!

Do you want two bootable DR-DOS floppy disks? Change again the floppy with one clean and type again from the ramdisk the command sys a:. And you'll obtain the other bootable DR-DOS floppy disk!!! You can do all the bootable DR-DOS floppy disk you desire!!!
 

HOW TO MAKE A 1.72 MB BOOTABLE DR-DOS FLOPPY DISK

It's easy (if you know how to do it). Download and unzip this very precious brick and put it directly in the Master DR-DOS floppy as it is:
 

FAIZ Superformat2_7.exe  36.1 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://www.geocities.com/disk_operative_system/sformat.zip

1) Reboot the computer with the Master DR-DOS floppy disk and give the command superf~1.exe, change the master floppy with one clean, follow the instruction and you'll obtain a true (not zipped) 1.72 MB floppy disk!!!

2) Give the command sys a: and you'll have your first 1.72 MB DR-DOS bootable floppy disk!!! Your floppy is usable also from Windows, MS-DOS, etcetera... But they can't make bootable a 1.72 MB floppy disk...

Ok. You have finished.
Now I've many, many bootable 1.72 MB DR-DOS floppy disks near the computer, and I hope you too. So we can do many, many experiments!
 

ADD THE BROWSER

Because this first version is also used for the "children challenge professionals" I give you immediately the input for the browser.

Go in this very fine site and download the latest DOS version of the browser arachne: http://arachne.cz/. Put it directly in one of your 1.72 DR-DOS floppy as it is.

Now add the following drivers in the floppy as they are:

Add the following files:

config.sys
dos=high
devicehigh=a:\himem.sys
devicehigh=a:\vdisk.sys 10240 /e
devicehigh=a:\vide-cdd.sys /d:ananas /L:US /P:1F0,14 /P:170,15 /P:1E8,12 /P:168,10

autoexec.bat
@a:\shsucdx.exe /d:ananas,d,,1
@a:\ctmouse.exe

start.bat
@echo off
if not "%1"=="" goto start
echo ***** DR-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "VDISK".        ****
echo ***** MS-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "MS-RAMDRIVE". ****
echo ***** Letters before ramdisk: HARD DISKS - After ramdisk: may be CD-ROM ****
vol c:
vol d:
vol e:
vol f:
vol g:
vol h:
echo ****************************************************************************
goto end
:start
copy *.* %1:\
%1:
set comspec=%1:\command.com
set path=%1:\
archn170.exe
:end

Now start your computer with the floppy inside the drive. Type at the prompt the command start. Find the ramdisk letter and then type the start complete. The installation of the browser will start immediately after the installation of the rest of the floppy. Follow the instructions and be careful at the second question if you have an hard disk in your computer. When you have finished, you'll have a true graphic browser in ramdisk!

And you still have over 500 KB free in your 1.72 MB floppy for your next experiments!!!

After the installation of the browser you can save your internet provider configurations copying a file called arachne.cfg in the floppy. This file is present in the directory \arachne.

I council you to zip the file arachne.cfg because its size is ~4.59 KB (zipped is ~2.46 kb).
This is the secret for a full, complete, well prepared "webfloppy", preconfigured with the telephone number, and the other provider data, plus other things: during the installation arachne don't overwrite the file arachne.cfg.

Make a directory called \arachne. Unzip and put here the arachne.cfg file. Then start with the browser installation and type manually the right path. It's easy.

Follows there is an example of start.bat with this kind of installation.
 

"CHILDREN CHALLENGE PROFESSIONALS" !

For this you'll must use elaborated bricks (the inverse of bricks as they are...). It is not so easy to win against professionals, and you must work a lot.
Make your 1.72 MB DR-DOS bootable floppy disk (read before how to do it) and add the following drivers as they are:

Start from here if you don't know how to do it.

After you need pkzip suite version 2.50. You will find this suite in this fine site: http://www.pkware.com/shareware/pkzip250dos.html. Read well the legals before to use it out of your private. Then take from the pkzip suite a file called pkunzjr.com (2.84 KB) and put it in the floppy as it is.

Go in this very fine site and download the latest DOS version of the browser arachne: http://arachne.cz/. Then zip it using your Windows zip program (or pkzip.exe typing at the DOS prompt:
pkzip  archn170.zip  archn170.exe  exx).

In this way you reduct the arachne size from 988 KB to 972 KB. Put archn170.zip in your 1.72 MB floppy.

Second you need to download a DOS GUI called Desktop2. You will find this GUI in this very fine site: http://wwwisg.cs.uni-magdeburg.de/~fritter/Desktop.html.

Unzip it and delete the directory called Dbd_aico. Then zip the rest of the program and put it with the same name in the floppy. You must delete the Dbd_aico directory (containing only supplemental icons):

• because Desktop2 works well without the supplemental icons too.
• because pkunzjr has an unknown (for me) problem and it refuse to unzip some of them.
• because you have not all the space you desire in your 1.72 floppy...

config.sys
dos=high
switches=/f
devicehigh=a:\himem.sys
devicehigh=a:\vdisk.sys 10240 /e
devicehigh=a:\vide-cdd.sys /d:ananas /L:US /P:1F0,14 /P:170,15 /P:1E8,12 /P:168,10
LASTDRIVE=M

autoexec.bat
@a:\shsucdx.exe /d:ananas,d,,1
@a:\ctmouse.exe

start.bat
@echo off
if not "%1"=="" goto start
echo ***** DR-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "VDISK".        ****
echo ***** MS-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "MS-RAMDRIVE". ****
echo ***** Letters before ramdisk: HARD DISKS - After ramdisk: may be CD-ROM ****
vol c:
vol d:
vol e:
vol f:
vol g:
vol h:
echo ****************************************************************************
goto end
:start
md %1:\dsk2
md %1:\dsk2\temp
md %1:\dsk2\arachne
copy *.* %1:\dsk2
%1:
cd dsk2
set comspec=%1:\dsk2\command.com
set path=%1:\dsk2;%1:\dsk2\arachne
set temp=%1:\dsk2\temp
pkunzjr archn170.zip %1:\dsk2\temp\
pkunzjr desktop2.zip %1:\dsk2\temp\
pkunzjr arachne.zip %1:\dsk2\arachne\
cd temp
rem now this line will install desktop2
install
:end

Please note that pkunzjr needs to have the \ at the end of the last directory or it don't read the last name as directory.
Ok. In this way the operating system runs ONLY inside the directory dsk2, without to change any data in your Pc if you however make an error installing it in an hard disk.
You also can use this "sleeping" operating system in your hard disk calling it with an easy bootable floppy, with this line in the floppy config.sys:

 However, you must don't have a directory called dsk2 in your hard disk...

If you have made all well this will be your floppy:
 

total:  1.740.735 Bytes  (FREE: 1.536 Bytes!!!)

Don't exceed the 1.72 floppy size or the floppy will don't work (and you'll must repeat all the procedure again). This is the only limitation using a bootable 1.72 DR-DOS floppy disk: if you copy a file bigger than the space on the floppy the copy is stopped. But your floppy has now some files corrupted. Please, be patience.

All the space problems in Vdisk between Arachne and Desktop2 are solved if:

• you use a ramdisk of almost 10.240 MB if you don't delete anything
• you use a ramdisk of almost 8.192 MB if you delete all the Desktop installation files from the \temp directory and the zip files in \dsk2

Well. I told all. I think Dan Hildebrand of QNX will be satisfied for this work for the children and the poor of the world (he's dead some years ago): the discovery of a new property of an operating system, the easy path for the assembly of very complex things like a web browser or a GUI, their installation.
And all at the children's level. And all after only 6 easy lessons of around 30 minutes each!

HOW TO FIND OTHER FREE KB
 

Is your floppy at the end of its space? Don't worry! There is a possibility to find other free KB zipping some drivers. Not all the drivers can be zipped, but two or three of them can be loaded after the boot time. Usually you use them in autoexec.bat, but you can zip and use them apart, for example in start.bat!!! shsucdx.exe is one of these driver you can zip and use after the boot time. Simply zip it and put it in the floppy as it is (delete shsucdx.exe...). This is your advantage (or the reward of your work!):

 

You can do it with the other .com .exe drivers, but be careful if you use one of these before to use start.bat. Because config.sys is equal to the precedent, I'll give you only the corrected autoexec.bat and start.bat:

autoexec.bat
@a:\ctmouse.exe
@echo Your CD will be activated with start, during the floppy installation in ramdisk.

start.bat
@echo off
if not "%1"=="" goto start
echo ***** DR-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "VDISK".       ****
echo ***** MS-DOS: type the drive letter of the volume called "MS-RAMDRIVE". ****
echo ***** Letters before ramdisk: HARD DISKS - After ramdisk: may be CD-ROM ****
vol c:
vol d:
vol e:
vol f:
vol g:
vol h:
echo ****************************************************************************
goto end
:start
md %1:\dsk2
md %1:\dsk2\temp
copy *.* %1:\dsk2
%1:
cd dsk2
set comspec=%1:\dsk2\command.com
set path=%1:\dsk2;%1:\dsk2\arachne
set temp=%1:\dsk2\temp
pkunzjr shsucdx.zip
shsucdx.exe /d:ananas,d,,1
pkunzjr archn170.zip %1:\dsk2\temp\
pkunzjr desktop2.zip %1:\dsk2\temp\
pkunzjr arachne.zip %1:\dsk2\arachne\
cd temp
rem now this line will install desktop2
install
:end
 

HOW TO OPTIMIZE THE SPACE

Computers memorize data in packages: every disk is divided in parts of equal numbers of bytes called CLUSTERS. Your 1.72 MB floppy disk uses 512 bytes cluster. When you save an autoexec.bat of 575 bytes the computer put the first 512 bytes in a cluster, and the following 63 bytes in the second cluster. The next program don't start at the end of the second cluster, but at a new cluster. So a computer squanders its memory in a torrent of unused (or misused) not empty cluster. Sorry.
To use better this unused space, fill the file to arrive at the end of the cluster. The free space described by the command dir will remain equal (it change only if you use or delete an entire cluster), but you will have more data for your work.
And now a practical experience. Change this:

autoexec.bat
@a:\ctmouse.exe
@echo Your CD will be activated with start, during the floppy installation in ramdisk.

to give a bit of professionalism at your DOS screen. It's easy. Load two files: files are ansi.com (replacement) http://simtel.mirror.stop.hu/msdos/desqview/dnansi.zip , and the tempus1 batch suite http://members.aol.com/sfreckles/mdrnrock2/sounds/tempus1.zip. Unzip dnansi.zip and put the file ansi.com directly in the floppy as it is.
 

MICROSOFT Win95 MS-DOS 7.10 ansi.sys     9.50 KB

David Nugent ansi.com    1.80KB

Then unzip tempus1.zip and choose the batch file you like from the Nicholas Metcalfe batch suite and put it directly in autoexec bat (with the ansi.com driver...). This is only an example on how to do it:

autoexec.bat
@a:\ansi.com
@a:\ctmouse.exe
@echo Your CD will be activated with start, during the floppy installation in ramdisk.
@echo Tempus by Nicholas Metcalfe
@PROMPT $E[1;37;42m$E[s$E[H$E[K  Windows 95  $P$E[0;60H$T$h$h$h$h$h$h  $D$E[u$E[0;37;40m$P$E[0;32;40m$E[0;37;40m

When you have finished, turn off and turn on your computer, and see your new professional look... And remember that your autoexec.bat still have other FREE space!
If you don't like a professional screen and you like a joke screen go here and download bart.zip a very fine batch file that you can find here:
http://simtel.mirror.stop.hu/msdos/sysutl/bart.zip. Once it is unzipped, type bart.bat, or copy bart.bat into your autoexec.bat, or change your autoexec.bat in this way:

autoexec.bat
@a:\ansi.com
@a:\ctmouse.exe
@echo Bart Simpson, by Unknown Author
PROMPT=$e[1;33m3\/\/\/3$_3$e[6C3 _3   $e[;5;36m0 0$e[;1;33m)$_C$e[6C_)$_ 3 $e[;31m,__$e[1;33m3 Hey, dude!$_ 3   / $e[m$P$G

Remember that the PROMPT variable MUST BE A LINE ONLY. DON'T cut it in two separate lines or the prompt will be damaged!

HOMEWORK FOR EXPERTS: try to add the Bart effect at the professional effect seen before, try to enlarge the screen using only ansi.com (like with the command: mode con cols=80 lines=50), try to design Flowers instead of the Bart effect :-)
 

HOW TO OPTIMIZE THE SPACE: ONLY FOR THE CHALLENGE CHILDREN AGAINST PROFESSIONALS

It seems strange, but in particular conditions himem.sys is not necessary, and your home-work children against professionals is one of this particular conditions. Infact Desktop2 and Arachne can work without himem.sys.
If you are novice don't try a thing like delete himem.sys if you are not sure of your work!
When you start the arachne installation you must reply at three question:
1) Yes
2) No
3) ramdisk letter:\dsk2\arachne

After this, type 2 at the next choice:
Choice 2. Disk (last choice)

that's ramdisk. The mode screen (VGA, CGA, etc.) has no means. Use the mode you think to have.
Usually in this conditions arachne needs two attempts before to start. If your first trying don't run, try again: search arachne.bat in the arachne directory and use it to start arachne again. Then repeat your choices. I assure you that arachne will start and you'll go in internet.
 

total:  1.725.952 Bytes  (FREE: 19.456 Bytes!!!)

This is the modified config.sys (without himem.sys):

config.sys
dos=high
switches=/f
devicehigh=a:\vdisk.sys 10240 /e
devicehigh=a:\vide-cdd.sys /d:ananas /L:US /P:1F0,14 /P:170,15 /P:1E8,12 /P:168,10
LASTDRIVE=M

All the space problems in Vdisk between Arachne and Desktop2 are solved if:

• you use a ramdisk of almost 10.240 MB if you delete all the Desktop installation files from the \temp directory and the zip files in \dsk2
• you use a ramdisk of almost 12.288 MB if you don't delete anything

I've tested this floppy configuration without himem.sys on an old 486 50 MHz and a Pentium 166 MHz and all was ok. All was ok in internet too. In the old computer I've only seen that the pages don't scroll with fluidity as with himem.sys.
Puff! Don't try to use this trick in other floppies: many bricks may have the necessity of the work of himem.sys. Remember it!
Now you have 19456 Bytes for your... documents to save! In DR-DOS, vdisk.sys can works well without himem.sys...

ADD A JAVA VIRTUAL MACHINE (JVM) IN YOUR FLOPPY

There are many JVM for DOS in the net that can be placed in a floppy:

Taurus JavaVM is a "temporarily freeware" (since 1999, not updated) JVM for DOS and can be found and downloaded in this fine site: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/6125/javavm/ .
There is a version 0.10a demo JVM for DOS that can be placed (zipped) in 17066 Bytes (it is only a curiosity because you need to be very expert to use it appropriately) and a true JVM version 0.16a for DOS (at the 60% of the commands) that can be placed (zipped) in 27948 Bytes!

EASy.VM is a freeware for educational uses JVM for DOS and can be found and downloaded in this fine site: http://www.jakom.de/Download.htm.
You must unpack the ~629 KB of bincode.zip and find the directory bincode\easy\dos. Zip the files inside (or the entire directory \dos) and you'll have a file of about 67.1 KB. If you need also the communication functions go in bincode\servant\dos, copy all the files in bincode\easy\dos, and zip all the directory. You'll obtain a zipped file of about 112.7 KB.

Other JVMs for DOS can be found in the net, but usually they are big (over 500 KB). You can use them only if you change Desktop2 with a not graphic user interface like dc (Desktop Commander). For example:

KaffePC is a freeware JVM for DOS and can be found and downloaded in this fine site: http://www.openje.org/kaffepc/docs/en/home.html.
This is a big zipped file in two sizes: 570 KB or 679 KB.

A Java Virtual Machine is a bit difficult to use: you need to study what is Java. Use Google or another search engine to find courses about it.

SOUND WITHOUT SOUND CARD

Use this very small CDplayer:
 

Christian Michaud Cdram.com    3.15 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://conecta2.dtdns.net/files/SONIDO

In only 3.15 KB this TSR brick offers Previous (ALT-1), Rewind (ALT-2), Play/pause (ALT-3), Fast Forward (ALT-4), Next/Jump (ALT-5) and it is able to plays data CDROM with one or more audio tracks!!!

All the computers have a little speaker inside (the beep you hear at the boot is made from this speaker). This is the best Pc speaker player:
 

John A. Ball Sbplay.exe    133 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://members.pgonline.com/~jaball

Councils: if you use it in a computer with a sound card and you want to hear the speaker, type at the DOS prompt set blaster=nosb, or the program may freeze if the sound card is unknown; if you use it in a DOS window, type set blaster=nosb and use the program in the same window, because the variable blaster is changed only in that DOS window.

Sbplay is able to play SND, VOC, WAV, AIF, IFF, RAW, some MAC files and .AU files, and the samples in (MOD) files at the last used frequency. But it is big, very big for a floppy.

Exist a possibility to hear also MIDI and MP3 files with the speaker (a sort of expanded Sbplay) using this Russian brick:
 

Sergey Sapelin Dss.exe    228 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://lrsp.chat.ru/

Open the file Dss.ini with notepad (or your editor) and write the number 8 after Device to activate the speaker:
[SoundDevice]
Device=8

I've tested it with MP3 files in a 50 MHz computer and it works well (on the speaker!) but it was not able to recognize the MIDI files used for the test. However this program is shareware or commercial and I don't know if it has an evaluation time.

Please, don't try to play a mp3 file from the floppy disk! It is too slow... Load the mp3 file in RamDisk (it is better in the same directory in which Dss is founded) before to hear it.
 

The littlest DOS WAV speaker player in the world is:
 

Stefan Peichl lxvox.com    1.66 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://home.t-online.de/home/stefan.peichl

But it fails, sometimes, playing too fast some WAV files in fast computers.

Exist another little WAV player with the speed option:
 

Baggs Technologies nusound.com    4.51 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://www.simtelnet.iteso.mx/pub/simtelnet/msdos/sound/nusnd102

Council: I don't know if this software is still shareware, but Baggs Technologies permit an evaluation time I think of 30 days. Because the lessons are only 6, I think you can use all the shareware with this limitation in your class-room. But I'm not sure, and if you are not sure too, ask to the authors before to use it.

However it fails too, because the slow option has a little range with fast computers.

There is also this very little MIDI player for speaker:
 

James Allwright midiplay.com    19.0 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://members.aol.com/dosware/midiplay.zip

The output is a bit complex because the program uses this algorithm: where two or more notes should be played simultaneously, midiplay plays the highest pitch one. This is good for easy MIDI, but you can't hear well a complex MIDI. It is pitying to see that this work is still isolate, especially for the very little size of the brick.

Computers can talk with the speaker with this very fine brick:
 

Stephen Neely tran.exe    47.0 KB

You will find this fine program here: ftp://ftp.ua.pt/pub/simtelnet/msdos/musi

If you start the program at the prompt you can write words, then press enter and hear what you have written from the speaker! Or you can type a thing like:
tran myletter.txt
and obtain the reading of all the letter!!!
This program is not so good in speed reproduction and it has a voice not so soft.

Why these programs are not dandle I don't know. Probably this degradation is normal. Talk in your class about it!
 

HOW TO SOLVE SPEED REPRODUCTION

At the beginning the programmation was only the maximum speed with the current computer. This happened when computers had a speed of around 1 MHz. Now we have computers with a speed of around 1 GHz...
Because first programmers was too busy to think at a speed optimizer, now we have a good quantity of freeware DOS bricks with this little problem. So other programmers have written bricks to slow these programs. I've chosen bricks capable to work properly with any speed, but if you find a program with this little problem you can use this, a bit complex, brick:
 

Bret Johnson slowdown.com    9.60 KB

You will find this fine program here: ftp://ftp.ua.pt/pub/simtelnet/msdos/sysutl/slodn200.zip

But I council you to use bricks like this only for fun. If you find a program hard to use, don't use it. You will find another brick without this problem.
 

LATEST COUNCILS FOR TEACHERS

Using the councils in this site (and the councils in other educational sites), in a week or two of practice, every teacher will be able to make his/her PERSONAL course. I prefer a personal course to a standard course because children (and school years) are not equal.
This is the end of the course message I wrote at the end of lesson 6:

"Congratulations!!! You are at the first years of the base school and you are successful at the International Spy Grade.
(So, if you asked yourselves rwhat's the meaning of this things_ now you have the answer).
Now you are at the same level of a secret agent or a well trained soldier.
At their training courses they also learn how to find and assemble files useful for taking possession of an enemy computer.
Now you know how to turn on a computer, to install your assembled (in few minutes) operating system into the RAM, and to enter in Internet for reading or communicating reserved informations without the enemy detect you. You can read reserved informations into the hard disks without the security systems will detect you because usually passwords are inside the operating system of the enemy computer. And you turn off and turn on the computer with YOUR operating system (few persons know that the password will be placed at the BIOS...).
What for the adults is only a fantasy like Mission Impossible you have done in the reality!!!"

Children are motivated to study: treasure stories (if you use the pirate story with the treasure hunting), or spy stories!!!
What other things you need to play? Ah, yes. The spy floppy...
 

THE SPY FLOPPY

Add the following bricks in the floppy to give a bit of "Mission Impossible atmosphere" at your school course (change Desktop2 with DC if you have it in your floppy so to make more space):

cmospwd.exe (11.5 KB) Christophe Grenier

WORK: find the BIOS Passwords.

lilopwd.exe (6.24 KB) Christophe Grenier
WORK: find the LILO Password (LILO is the Linux boot loader).

ntpwd.zip (450 KB) Christophe Grenier

WORK: find the Windows NT Password, capable to read and change data in a NTFS partition (for example the Password...), and other features included in the suite.

atahd.exe (28.4 KB) M.B.Mallory
ttp://www.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/msdos/diskutil/atahd20.zip
WORK: detect and display data for a drive when the drive has not yet been recognized by the BIOS, and other features.

firm.com (14.3 KB) Dave Burley
ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/sac/utildisk/firm.zip
WORK: floppy image reader/maker capable of reading/writing disks of other systems, Unix, Linux, later Mac and some other disks. Image files can be written back to disks of a larger capacity than the original for at least FAT systems, and other features.

Of course these programs were made for a repair disk or for a demonstration about bugs in various Operating Systems, but in this case is the fantasy of the children that counts...
Professional spy programs are... another thing (usually smalls, with a cost of around 500000 U$ dollars per KB). For example a professional spy program works all in machine language, and if it meets a processor with another machine language it is able to translate its programmation with some translation tables, and to use all the enemy computers finding the exact hardware configuration using some, specified for every kind of computer, configuration tables. Not so difficult, isn't it?
A floppy for all the seasons...
 

THE SPY GAME

Play at the spy game with the computers of your friends or a particular computer at school searching a target file.
This is useful to form the future experts in security systems.
 

HOW TO WIN SPY GAMES IN THE REALITY

And then, after YOU have tried to fill the computer with passwords, so to forget them and to use these software too (no comment :-), after having crypted all YOUR hard disks with keys of about 20/30 words each file (:-o) or a sea of bits, after having fill all the I/O ports with little and littlest filter devices, and other again, a little child come with a little floppy in a little hand, and copy all YOUR secrets.
Ahem, have you never tried with the sincerity? It is impossible to spy because it isn't necessary to hide it.
Of course, this is true especially for the next full technological years where the use of the portable vocal true machine (wearable is the right word) will be a very normal thing, especially in class-room or when you play with your friends...
Find yourself with GOOGLE how to add the truth in your computer only with a CD, a microphone and few dollars.
If you read this very fine site http://www.911.co.kr/Truster/en_index.htm, you will find an all in one device: today you don't need a computer, a CD and a microphone. Portable versions of polygraphs are today all hand-held!

So, now, if you see in TV persons talking about associations against torture, detentions without motive, etc (like Amnesty International), think at this little stupid device to know the truth easily and with a few cost.
 
 
 
 

CHILDLY OPERATING SYSTEM

If you are making this course in a very young class-room, you cannot use a normal GUI or a normal File Manager. But there is a good, easily configurable solution, that also prevent any use of other software (or illegal and dangerous operations on the Pc): Power Menu 1.0b.
 

Jem E. Berkes pwrmenu.exe    2.85 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://www.pc-tools.net/dos/freeware If you want to surf in the palmtop world, try this fine site: http://www.palmtop.net/super6.html

 With the right brick it's a child's play:
 

If you make a childly OS, use a particular Editor for young children. If I found one freeware I'll put here with the link.
Teachers also will be interested to disable the Ctrl-Alt-Del sequence to preserve young children from this keyboard mistake. This is possible using this brick in autoexec.bat:
 

Jeff Prosise and Dale Lewallen antiboot.com    83 Bytes

You will find this fine program here: http://bhs.broo.k12.wv.us/pub/ibm/MegaROM2/UTILITY/SYSTEM/antiboot.zip

A good educational animation for young children is this brick:
 

Jan Bobrowski zuk.com    13.8 KB

You can download this fine program here: http://wizard.ae.krakow.pl/~jb/Zuk/

This is a wonderful, real time, full colored fractal brick for slow computers. When you use it in a lesson with your young children, you do the right thing. Enjoy.

The smallest DOS fractal brick is this Mandelbrot generator:
 

Michael J. Taylor fractal.exe    1.25 KB

You can download this fine program here: http://freespace.virgin.net/graham.taylor5

But it is not in real time. However, look at the size!

Please: use a fractal brick in your course, because it is propaedeutic for the following lessons. Infact a universe can be described only with fractals, chaos theory and minima surfaces.

Propaedeutic for the lessons on how to program a universe in real time, I council you this little miracle:
 

Tim Clarke Mars.exe    5.51 KB

You can download this fine program here: http:/ www.programmersheaven.com/zone10/cat342/15222.htm

Look at the size of this real time landscape and think to the newest "G-games" (where G is for GigaBytes...) If you can, try it on very, very slow computers.
 
 

This council may be used in a kindergarten too!

If you need to turn on the computer to pass the time with colours and animations when children are engaged in other things like paint or sculpture (or sleep, if the school permit this), you can use these 4 bricks:
 

unknown orbis.com    4.50 KB	You can download this fine program here: ftp://ftp.ua.pt/pub/simtelnet/msdos/graphics/orbis.zip
unknown wow.com    7.59 KB	You can download this fine program here: ftp://ftp.ua.pt/pub/simtelnet/msdos/graphics/wow.zip
Judson D. McClendon kaleids.exe    24.8 KB	You can download this fine program here: ftp://ftp.ua.pt/pub/simtelnet/msdos/graphics/kaleids.zip
Ty Halderman hypno.exe    25.7 KB	You can download this fine program here: ftp://ftp.ua.pt/pub/simtelnet/msdos/graphics/hypno.zip

Orbis is a wow version without some effects (sometimes I prefer wow, sometimes I prefer orbis). Kaleids is nice. Hypno is too much formal for young children. If you want I'll add other bricks like these. E-mail me to add a program you know or to ask me if I know other programs.
 

NICE GAMES

In the DR-DOS directory (if you use it) there is a brick called Netwars.exe (76.8 KB). It is a 3D space game. Very nice for that size, but it may give disgust if played in the long run.
If you search static games for your children, try these two "classic" games:
 

Don Cross chenard.exe   71.8 KB	You will find this fine CHESS program here: http://www.intersrv.com/~dcross/chenard.html
Lyle Conn and Don Cross swello.exe   58.0 KB	You will find this fine OTHELLO program here: http://www.intersrv.com/~dcross/swello.html

Your floppy will thank you. Your children may be not, because these two games are very hard to beat. When you choose the "thinking time" of the computer, choose a time of 1 or 2 seconds... It's better.

For example, do you know what is the size of a calculation program after the exit of the 386 processor with the 387 mathematic coprocessor???
 

Craig Hessel calc387.com    1024 Bytes

You will find this very fine program here: http://www.geocities.com/craig_hessel (at the end of the page)

Yes, exactly 1024 Bytes (1.00 KB)...
Use it in class-room for a day or two only to play with it (with some math problems of the teacher, of course).

A. Barthazi icoview2.com    100 Bytes

You will find this fine program here: ftp://ftp.ua.pt/pub/simtelnet/msdos/graphics/icoview2.zip

This is an icon viewer. With this brick you can program, for example, an easy batch card game using text for messages and calling an icon card with it if you need to show a thing.
 

EXAMPLE Text is: "You find an Elf.", and after a pause appear the elf icon. You touch a taste to take off the image and appear a menu with your choices like: 1) Give money 2) Attack 3) Help me, please etc. You can use the 67 Bytes ask.com to give the choices at the echo menu. If you choice 2 then the message may be: "Elf is a powerful enemy. You lose!", and then the batch program calls (with icoview2) the skull icon or the tombstone icon. This viewer reads only an old type of icons: 32x32 pixels x 16 colours. You can find over 22000 old 32x32x16 icons in this fine site: http://www.iconolog.net/ico/index.html. If you use another icon viewer, you can go in this link page of the same site and find all the new icons you need for your project: http://www.iconolog.net/sites/index.html. Internet is full of freeware icons, and DOS and Windows have many icon editors (some freeware) ready to work with your ideas. Think this: these may be the bricks used to show in an electronic watch or in a palmphone some images of a menu (like a DOS batch card game) in a little screen. Children can learn how is the real size of these programs: so, after, when they learn how to program, they know well how to do... If you win the game, you can use a DOS animation. I council you this very big size brick because you can use it also like screen saver!!!   Reidar Gresseth and Chris Hook explosiv.com    8.97 KB You will find this fine program here: http://ftp.uni-stuttgart.de/pub/systems/msdos/util/screen/expls122.zip If you want to use very little animations, you can use the bricks of this fine site: http://www.opferman.com. http://www.opferman.com/Software/Demos/. Enjoy.

If you want to use a very little graphic viewer I council you this little miracle:
 

Stefan Peichl Lxpic.com    15.7 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://home.t-online.de/home/stefan.peichl

I think this is the best littlest DOS graphic viewer in the world: it can show BMP, PCX, ICN, JPG, JPE, GIF of any kind with some important functions like zoom and scroll, thumbnails, etc. It is not able to show old icons (ICO). So, add a icon viewer if you use old icons too.

Remember: if your children or your school make a program with freeware bricks, the program must to be absolutely freeware, or many authors may ask you to cancel the program or worse. And finally, think to the poor of this planet: if schools make shareware or commercial programs the only thing they make is to enlarge the poverty of the world. So poor children and poor schools in the world will not be able to use any kind of brick for the study.

Jos, Campione and C. Robert Parkinson pp12.com    9.43 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://simtel.mirror.stop.hu/msdos/sysutl/peepok12.zip

I think the size of this program is very big (strings.com includes peek-poke commands - you can find strings.com below). However, with this brick you can have the access at every memory location of the computer. So you can make yourselves the screens you need for the card game (or a more complex game), and to add some easy animations too.

FUN, PLEASE: I wrote things like "only by very expert children" or "only by children that are able to program batch files"... But I must remember you that these lessons are for an old computer without hard disk. So you can do anything you want. Destroy all the computer if you are able! Cancel all the memory!! After this, reboot your computer with your floppy (or another floppy if you have destroyed it...) and all will return in its place.

Remember: usually children are very clever to find easily the BIOS memory... For this I council you only old computers with the lowest possible cost (< 10 or 20 $). So you can use it changing it frequently in your class-room and children are happy to be free :-)

Naturally, children and schools are riches and poor. I apologize for this council to all the teachers in the poor parts of the world. Of course, I know that your old computer have an inestimable value, and cannot be "destroyed" for a game.
 

HOW TO REDUCE DOS SIZE

It is possible to reduce DOS size replacing Microsoft DOS external commands with batch files. I wrote before about the choice/ask example. Now I teach you an easy way to reduce the size of around all DOS external commands.
Because using destructive commands (like move) as example for the children is not a good idea, I changed the example using a not destructive command like tree.com.
Infact tree is the best command to use for a school work because you only read files (and because you only give to read to the children some dir parameters).

tree.bat:
dir %1 /s/ad/b/on

So you can tell to the children: good job!
 

MICROSOFT MS-DOS tree.com   6.87 KB

YOU tree.bat   17 Bytes (this example don't work on DR-DOS)

After this you advice your children to not try to write destructive commands, but only to use freeware web resources written by professionals.
 

DOS LANGUAGE IS ONLY A CURIOSITY

Microsoft DOS language is very poor. You will find the 30 internal commands of MS-DOS 6.22 in lesson 5. You can program in "DOS" only using batch utilities, that means a collection of little commands to use in a batch program (rarely as alone). A batch utility contains the adding words for the "DOS" language.
You will find all you need in this fine website: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/1401/batch02.htm. I council you only a brick from all the batch utilities world:
 

Douglas Boling strings.com    13.6 KB

You will find this fine program here: http://members.cox.net/dos/batch01.htm

It is very small and full of commands (over 70 commands, and 4 KB of the program are dedicated to the help messages!!!). I saw an instability in a 486 used to test it, but I think it is not important.

However, this "DOS" language is out of the range of this course.
Young children only need how to use these bricks, not how to make these bricks...
Rest is only examples and curiosities (like tree.bat).
Batch language is important only when you finish this "assemble" phase and you start to teach (or learn) the programmation (with other programmation languages).

NOTE FOR THE PROGRAMMERS: IF YOU WANT TO REWRITE THE ENTIRE DOS EXTERNAL COMMANDS IN BATCH FILES FOR THE SCHOOLS, BE CAREFUL! IF THIS PROGRAMMING IS TOO DIFFICULT TO READ IT MAY BECAME USELESS FOR CHILDREN...

WARNING: a batch file is read from the floppy. It is not loaded in memory like .com or .exe files. So, if you need to change the floppy to load something from another floppy, batch works is interrupted. If you want to make batch files independent from the floppy, load all of them in ramdisk. In this way you are also in an interesting situation: batch files are slow because they are read from the slowest floppy or the hard disk. But in the more fast ramdisk memory they arrive near to the .com or .exe speed, without the needs to compile them... It is a programming trick...
If you want to know more about batch files I council you this fine site where you will find all you need to start and more: http://home7.inet.tele.dk/batfiles//index.htm.
 
 

FAQ

WHY DOS?

When I was student I was not so good at English (today I get worse...). A day I confused 'orrible' with 'awful' and I made 'orriful'...

Well. DOS is a true 'orriful' operating system, because DOS designers confused 'demential' with 'operating system' and they made 'DOS'.

It is limited in its functions only to 640 KB. And it has many, many other problems.
So, why DOS? The answer is: BRICKS!

New operating systems have few freeware bricks. Only DOS has MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF FREEWARE BRICKS. If you search a brick, a freeware brick, usually you find it in the DOS world. You will have more problems to find it in Linux world, or in BeOS world, or in JOS world, or in another operating system world (Windows apart, but Windows is not freeware). And because DOS is compatible with Windows (DOS programs can run under Win95, Win98, etcetera). MuLinux for example is not compatible with Windows.

It is easy to tell me "DOS is old, DOS is dead", but when you make projects for children you need bricks, not words.And DOS is an ocean of bricks. Freeware bricks. OK FOR THE DIGITAL DIVIDE PROBLEM.

Because this course may be used also in riches schools I encourage teachers of these riches schools to do this course FOR FUN with their children. But if you are so "material", I encourage you to study these sites as example of the actuality of this approach:

1) http://www-ccs.cs.umass.edu/~shri/iPic.html   (more other links inside)
2) http://java.sun.com/products/javacard
3) http://www.google.com/search?q=embedded+computers&btnG=Go   (over 300.000 links)

I think children have a future playing with freeware DOS bricks and learning that bricks can be very little.
VERY GOOD FOR THEIR "EMBEDDED" FUTURE.

It is not important what is the operating system or the language used because they change every year... (if you don't believe in this assertion, try to read this webpage... http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/doc/misc/lang-list.txt). It is important only the message: Hey! Look here!! These bricks do these things with these size!!!
So they will became more intelligent than the adults at their consumers' associations, that think that an operating system less of 1 or 2 GB is impossible, or in other words, that think that an operating system of 1 or 2 GB is a "normal thing" and so they do nothing to protect us (the consumers...).
Yes. I think children will have a future. But only with fun, please.
 

WHY THE USE OF THE FLOPPY?

DIGITAL DIVIDE: a floppy may be the only didactical thing a poor child can use to study informatic where he or she lives. The floppy is very cheap and can be reused (an used pencil or an used exercise-book, not).

The floppy is, today, out-of-date. But it still is a very good didactic resource because CD or other supports are actually very expensive (included their drives)...
Its size, 1.44 MB (even if you can arrive over 1.72 MB), is perfect for the work of the children. When the child arrive at the end of the size of the floppy the homework or the class-work is finished.
 

WHY TO MAKE A BOOTABLE FLOPPY DISK USING WINDOWS 95?

I used Windows 95 in the Italian lessons because it is easy to use and because the third world uses Windows too (even if I don't know if those Windows are registered or downloaded with the sharing in Internet of the hard disks, or simply CD copies).
Windows 95 is capable to be installed in a 386 without the mathematical coprocessor, with 4 MB RAM only, in an hard disk <100 MB (Internet Explorer 2 or 3 included).
So, I think this is the only Windows that the poor in the world (about 5 billions...) can use to obtain the best satisfaction from the Windows software world (WIN 3.x is incompatible with most of those software).

With Windows 95 I also solved these problems:

1) to avoid QBasic. In MS-DOS the editor is inside another program called QBasic, that is the oldest version of QuickBasic. When you call Edit, you call QBasic. To teach QBasic and the Basic programming is out of this course.

2) to reduct the cost of the course with Microsoft resources. Inside Windows 95 you have a reduced version of MS-DOS. So you don't buy two operating system, but only one.

Of course you can use all the operating systems to make a bootable DOS floppy, DOS included!!!
 

WHY NOT WINDOWS 98 (TO MAKE THE DOS BOOTABLE FLOPPY)?

Use it if you want.
 

WHY NOT LINUX (TO MAKE THE DOS BOOTABLE FLOPPY)?

This is the site of Mulinux (a Linux in one floppy disk!): http://sunsite.dk/mulinux. i PUBBLICIZE THE WORK OF ANOTHER iTALIAN. i KNOW. iT'S BAD, BAD, BAD... Try to install it. If you are able to solve all the installation questions, you come from another planet. Apart this fun joke, Linux (all the versions) is not good for the children. It may become very difficult, sometimes.
So, even if you know how to use the DOS emulator or some Windows emulators, their use is out of this course.
 

WHY IN THIS SITE THERE IS NO PROGRAM TO DOWNLOAD?

In this site you can find a collection of my courses for the schools. Because I've not the time to follow the upgrades of all the softwares (even if I test some of they periodically), I council you pages of professionals that have the time to follow they.
 

WHY QNX PROGRAMMERS ARE PROFESSIONALS IF WE CAN DO IT BETTER THAN THEY?

Ahem... They do it in exactly 1.44 MB... We need, after having unzipped all the files, over 8 MB ;-)
However, if you follow the councils in this page you'll be able to fill the floppy with interesting things, and to tell to your "guided" children: good job! :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
 

WHY YOU DON'T USE A SOUND CARD IN THIS COURSE?

This is not true. It is impossible to add a sound driver in DOS because new soundcards have not a DOS driver, old soundcards have DOS drivers incompatibles among them, and of course you can have a wrong hardware configuration. So I use the speaker, because it is an universal standard of all the Pc, and the CD drive sound exit, because it is an universal standard too. It's like to have a sound card...

more FAQ later...
 
 

:-)

Your e-mails will be used to motivate me to continue this EDU project.
I do it for nothing.
But if you are a person that would pay to me a million of dollars or two for my absolutely freeware project, I don't know... only to associate your name to the project... feel free to send me the money!
I'll use the money to eat and for some humanitarian projects I've in mind.

If your school uses this teaching equipment, please send me an e-mail. Thank you.
But most important is your floppy configurations for the creation of a little collection in this site.
 

:-(

www.dotforce.org

AGAINST DIGITAL DIVIDE Some authors have written a message for the readers of this webpage. Colitti Claudio - J.R.Ferguson -

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