Thread: Operating System

He'd probably tell you next that binary was obsolete and had been replaced by something called hexadecimal.

BTW; I don't think you should post statements like exe files cannot be run in pure DOS, because to most people, pure DOS is MSDOS 6.22 or similar after it's loaded the command interpreter. This of course will run DOS exe's. I think I understand where you were comming from, but it's more likely to add to the confusion.

kas. Like the previous post said, TBUI (Text based user interface) and GUI (Graphical user interface) are just that, interfaces. They can sit on top of DOS, you could write one which lets you use a mouse to click on icons to start programs (ala Windows, but a bit chunkier most likely), or have something purely text based, with a number next to each program you want to run. All these things are really is menu's. And there are a lot of DOS based menu systems around if that's what you're after.

An Operating System is a more difficult creation that lets hardware ineract with a user. By itself, most hardware is fairly stupid.

You may want to explain a bit more about what you want to do, so that people can help with more germane suggestions.

entirly understand what I mean. I want a computer that stands alone right. When you come up to it you have certain options and stuff. I don't want it to be used as a normal computer at all. Just the program I wrote and thats it. ie) and atm machine

Your program provides a function. You can run your program in DOS. There are certain configuration options for DOS that will cause it to ignore keys that could otherwise interupt the boot sequence (F5, SHIFT etc). A DOS manual or a web search will help you with this. Beyond that, you put your program into the autoexec.bat, stop the PC from booting on a diskette or CD in the BIOS and viola, for most intents and purposes you have a PC that just runs your DOS based program, and nothing else.

Also, if you simply format the drive, make it a system drive (with the sys command, or the /s switch for format) and copy over your DOS program, put it in the AUTOEXEC.BAT, make all files read only and system with the 'attrib' command, then do not leave attrib or any other utilities on the drive, you will be left with a PC that can effictively do only one thing.

PS: If we do not understand the question, it behoves you to explain it more clearly, not us to pump you for the information we need in order to help.