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DOS Emulator In and Out of App Store

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the going-for-hte-record dept.

gent01 writes "A company called Fast Intelligence got DOSBox running on iOS and dubbed it iDOS. It's been stuck in review for the app store for some time. Evidently the iDOS app was in the app store this morning, but it has already been taken down."

6 of 338 comments (clear)

  1. Well, duh. by pclminion · · Score: 4, Informative

    Duh. By emulating DOS, you allow the user to run any DOS program they want. In other words, you make the device programmable. That's a no-no on the App store.

    1. Re:Well, duh. by hairyfeet · · Score: 5, Informative

      I hate to break the news to you friend but BfW basically did an end run around the GPL by having the main developers license to Apple under different restrictions. There is still some stink over this since not all the contributors agreed. you can read more here but I would say since the FSF wrote the GPL if they say it ain't compatible then it ain't, period. Considering the whole basis of the GPL is the four freedoms, which you simply can't have because Apple uses both hardware and legalese to restrict what you can do with the code, I just don't see the two coming to any real agreement.

      Either you have to own ALL the code so you can re-license it in a more restricted form as MYSQL used to do, or you simply can't play in Steve's garden. Personally I don't care for the walled garden approach but if that is your thing, enjoy. But logical hoop jumping won't make a walled garden into a free commons, nor will it make an Apple iDevice compatible with the four freedoms.

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      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  2. It's available for Android by LodCrappo · · Score: 5, Informative

    As "aDosBox".. http://androiddosbox.appspot.com/

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    -Lod
  3. GPL3 by CritterNYC · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's actually GPL3 code that can't be used in any apps for the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad due to the anti-Tivoization clauses in GPL3 and the completely locked down nature of iOS and the app store.

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    Portable versions of Firefox, GIMP, LibreOffice, etc
  4. Re:Newsworthy? by NotQuiteInsane · · Score: 4, Informative

    DOSBox is a reverse-engineered re-implementation of the PC BIOS (int13h et al) and DOS APIs (int21h et al) and the x86 CPU. There's no Microsoft, Digital Research, IBM or whatever code in there. At all.

  5. Re:This proves the previous story... by hedwards · · Score: 4, Informative

    That's because in the US it's considered acceptable to accuse a politician of being both fascist and socialist at the same time. Both sides when you get far enough are completely nuts, but try comparing Naziism with Soviet Communism. The difference is significant.