The following contents for GNUish MSDOS is loosely organized along the lines of related UNIX man pages.
GNU awk current GNU version is 2.13.2. There is a faster
awk, also distributed under the GNU General Public License,
written by Mike Brennan. For the original distribution, fetch
executables in `mawk1.zip' and sources in `mawk1.1.tar.Z' from
`oxy.edu', in `public'. Or fetch executables in `mawk11ax.zoo'
and sources in `mawk11as.zoo' from the usual places.
GNU C current GNU version is 2.2.2. There is no port of GNU C available
for 8088 and 80286 systems, and it is very unlikely that there would
ever be one. So, GNUish MSDOS is still relying on proprietary compilers
for its existence. Currently, ports have been done using Microsoft C
compilers or Borland Turbo C/C++; it seems so far that Microsoft C
generates faster code, works better with huge pointers, and offers a
working alloca(); but promoting proprietary software is against
the GNU goals, any step in the direction of compiler independence would
be beneficial for the community.
GNU C had indeed been ported to 80386 MSDOS, under the name
djgpp, by DJ Delorie. This opens wide doors for porting further
GNU software for 80386 systems under MSDOS, for those many GNU programs
requiring a fair amount of addressing space. However, beware that
djgpp based ports always require a 80386 machine.
DJ Delorie made a 32-bit 80386 MSDOS extender with symbolic debugger, a C/C++ compiler with utilities, development libraries, and source code. It generates full 32-bit programs and supports full virtual memory with paging to disk. A 80386-based IBM compatible PC or PS/2 is required. Approximately 4-5Mb of hard drive space is required. 640K RAM is required.
All this can be anonymously ftp'ed from `barnacle.erc.clarkson.edu' [128.153.28.12] in `pub/msdos/djgpp'. First fetch and carefully read the three files `readme.1st', `readme' and `faq' from that directory; or else the cumulative file `MSDOS.gcc' from `prep.ai.mit.edu' [18.71.0.38], in `pub/gnu/MicrosPorts'. File `README.gcc' should also be available from the usual places.
compress current GNU version is 4.0.1. GNUish MSDOS has not
selected any current port yet, but many are available.
GNU cpio current GNU version is 1.5. Version 1.1 has been ported
to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in `cpio11ax.zoo' and sources
in `cpio11as.zoo' from the usual places. You also need Thorsten Ohl's
`gnulib' to compile it.
GNU [ce]tags current GNU version comes from GNU Emacs
distribution, currently 18.58. Russ Nelson made a version for Freemacs.
For the original distribution, fetch `etags.zip' from
`grape.ecs.clarkson.edu' [128.153.28.129], in
`pub/msdos/freemacs'. Or fetch the executables and sources as
`etags.zoo' from the usual places.
GNU diff current GNU version is 1.15. Version 1.15 has been
ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl, using Microsoft C v5.1 or v6.0. Fetch
executables in `dif115ax.zoo' and sources in `dif115as.zoo'
from the usual places.
GNU Emacs current GNU version is 18.58. There is no port of GNU
emacs available for 8088 and 80286 systems, and it is very
unlikely that there would ever be one. Any Emacs for small MSDOS
systems only implements a tiny subset of the true thing.
Russ Nelson's Freemacs is closest in spirit to the real thing, by
providing a full extension language. Version 1.6a can be gotten from
various places (clarkson, wustl, simtel, ...).
It is made of a MINT interpreter written in 8088 assembler, and
of several MINT code application files to drive emacs
modes. MINT has no relation to GNU Emacs LISP and limits itself
to 64k per file. For the original distribution, fetch all from
`grape.ecs.clarkson.edu' [128.153.28.129], in
`pub/msdos/freemacs'. Or fetch the executables code as
`emacs16a.zoo' (plus `emacs100.zoo' for a Zenith Z-100) and
the sources as `emac16as.zoo', from the usual places; also fetch
some EGA utilities as `emacsega.zoo' and a spelling checker as
`emacspel.zoo'. You might want to fetch `emacspat.zoo' too for
a few patches, applied by Freemacs itself.
Jonathan Payne's Jove, on the other side, is not extendable, but can handle surprisingly big files on MSDOS. It is well featured and reasonably fast. It can be made almost comfortable to GNU Emacs users, given a proper `jove.rc'.
GNU Emacs has indeed been ported to 80386 MSDOS by Manabu Higashida and Hirano Satoshi, under the name Demacs, using DJ Delorie port of GNU C. The current version is 1.2.0 91-12-12. Fetch binaries and diffs from `utsun.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp', in `GNU/demacs'.
Craig Finseth maintains a list of Emacs Implementations and Literature;
fetch emacs from `mail.unet.umn.edu' [128.101.101.103], in
`import'. There is a summary about MSDOS specific Emacs'es;
fetch` editor.Z' from `math.princeton.edu' [128.112.128.157],
in `pub/rjc/csip'; if you cannot ftp, obtain a copy by sending
email to the server program at `rjc@math.princeton.edu', with a
blank subject line, and containing solely the two words: `send
editor'.
GNU find current GNU version is 3.6, comprising: find,
locate and xargs. Version 1.2 has been ported to MSDOS by
Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in `find12ax.zoo' and sources in
`find12as.zoo' from the usual places. You also need Thorsten Ohl's
`gnulib' to compile it. Fetch `find12.zoo' from the usual
places.
Get executables in `ghostscript-2.4.1msdos.exe' and sources in `ghostscript-2.4.1.tar.Z' from `prep.ai.mit.edu' [18.71.0.38], in `pub/gnu'. You might need `ghostscript-fonts-2.4.1.tar.Z' from the same place.
GNU fgrep current GNU version is 1.1. Version 1.1 has been
ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in
`fgre11ax.zoo' and sources in `fgre11as.zoo' from the usual
places.
GNU grep current GNU version is 1.6, comprising: grep and
egrep. Version 1.5 has been ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl.
Fetch executables in `grep15ax.zoo' and sources in
`grep15as.zoo' from the usual places.
less current GNU version is 177. Version 177 has been ported to
MSDOS by Mark Lord, using Borland C. For the original distribution,
fetch executables and sources in `less177e.zip' from
`wuarchive.wustl.edu' in `mirrors/msdos/txtutl'. Or fetch
executables in `les177ax.zoo' and sources in `les177as.zoo'
from the usual places.
Fast lex current GNU version is 2.3.7. Version 2.3.6 has been
ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in
`fle236ax.zoo' and sources in `fle236as.zoo' from the usual
places. You also need Thorsten Ohl's gnulib to compile it.
GNU indent current GNU version is 1.4. Version 1.1 has been
ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in
`inde11ax.zoo' and sources in `inde11as.zoo' from the usual
places.
GNU m4 current GNU version is 1.0. Version 0.5 (also called
0.50) has been ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in
`m4v05ax.zoo' and sources in `m4v05as.zoo' from the usual
places. You also need Thorsten Ohl's gnulib to compile it.
GNU make current GNU version is 3.62. Version 3.58 has been
ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl, using Microsoft C v6.0. Fetch
executables in `mak358ax.zoo' and sources in `mak358as.zoo'
from the usual places. You also need Thorsten Ohl's swapping library,
fetch `swalibas.zoo' from the usual places. If you intend to
recompile make, beware that one patch has been lost for the
makefile in `make358as.zoo', so the makefile might not work as is.
Larry Wall's patch current GNU version is 2.0.12u6. GNUish MSDOS
has not selected any current port yet, but many are available.
Larry Wall's Perl current GNU version is 4.035. Version 4.019
has been ported to by Stuart Phillips, using Borland C++ 3.0 and VROOM,
it works faster with extended memory. For the original distribution,
fetch executables in `bcv14_perl4-019E.zip' and sources in
`bcv14_perl4-019.zip' plus `xspawn34.zip' from
`tandem.com' [130.252.12.8], in `pub/perl'. Or fetch
executables in `pl4019ax.zoo' and sources in `pl4019as.zoo'
from the usual places.
Also, version 4.000 has been ported to MSDOS by Len Reed. Fetch executables in `perl_exe.zoo' from `eeserv.ee.umanitoba.ca' [130.179.8.1] in `pub/msdos/perl'.
GNU ptx current GNU version is 0.2. Version 0.1 has been ported
to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in `gptx01ax.zoo' and
sources in `gptx01as.zoo' from the usual places.
GNU Revision Control System current GNU version is 5.6. Version 5.5 has been ported to MSDOS by Stuart Phillips. For the original distribution, fetch sources and executables in `rcs55.zip' from `wuarchive.wust.edu', in `mirrors/msdos/pgmutil'. Or fetch executables in `rcs55ax.zoo' and sources in `rcs55as.zoo' from the usual places.
GNU sed current GNU version is 1.09. Version 1.06 has been
ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in
`sed106ax.zoo' and sources in `sed106as.zoo' from the usual
places. You also need Thorsten Ohl's `gnulib' to compile it.
GNU bash current GNU version is 1.12. There is no port of GNU
bash available to 8088 and 80286 systems yet, but the techniques
used in perl (see section perl) and make (see section make) make
it in principle possible to run programs of this size under MSDOS.
Ian Stewartson ported the Charles Forsyth sh from MINIX to MSDOS,
using Microsoft C v5.1. For the original distribution, fetch
executables in `ms_sh164.zip' from `wuarchive.wustl.edu', in
`mirrors/msdos/sysutl'; fetch sources from `comp.sources.misc'
in Volume 10 issues 053-059, Volume 12 issues 019-026, Volume 13 issues
079-080, Volume 14 Issues 065-066, Volume 16 Issues 078-079. Or fetch
executables in `sh164ax.zoo' and sources in `sh164as.zoo' from
the usual places.
shar current version is 3.49. It has been distributed through
`alt.sources' on 90-09-24. Version 3.49 has been ported to MSDOS
by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in `sha349ax.zoo' and sources
in `sha349as.zoo' from the usual places.
GNU sort current GNU version is found within GNU Text Utilities
version 1.3. A prerelease of version 0.3 has been ported to MSDOS by
Thorsten Ohl. Fetch executables in `sort03ax.zoo' and sources in
`sort03as.zoo' from the usual places.
GNU tar current GNU version is 1.10. GNUish MSDOS has not
selected any current port yet, but many are available.
GNU texinfo current GNU version is 2.15, comprising: info,
makeinfo, texi2dvi, texindex and extensive related
code written in GNU Emacs LISP. Prereleased versions of info and
makeinfo have been ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch
executables in `texi10ax.zoo' and sources in `texi10as.zoo'
from the usual places.
GNU File Utilities current GNU version is 3.2, comprising: chgrp,
chmod, chown, cp, dd, df, dir,
du, install, ln, ls, mkdir,
mkfifo, mknod, mv, rm, rmdir,
touch and vdir. GNU Text Utilities current GNU version is
1.3, comprising: cat, cmp, comm, csplit,
cut, expand, fold, head, join,
nl, paste, pr, sort, split,
sum, tac, tail, tr, unexpand,
uniq and wc.
GNU Text Utilities historically emerged from GNU File Utilities; and
version 1.4 have been ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl before this split
has been done. The ported programs are: cat, chmod,
cmp, cp, cut, dd, dir, head,
ls, mkdir, mv, paste, rmdir,
tac, tail, touch, vdir and rm. Fetch
executables in `futi14ax.zoo' and sources in `futi14as.zoo'
from the usual places.
The GNU sort program is documented elsewhere (see section sort).
GNU bison current GNU version is 1.18. This version compiles
without changes on MSDOS. Fetch sources in `bison-1.16.tar.Z' from
`prep.ai.mit.edu' [18.71.0.38], in `pub/gnu'.
Rahul Dhesi's barebone zoo extractor version 2.0 has been
distributed through `comp.binaries.ibm.pc' (1 part:
`v13i001'). Fetch `booz.exe' and `booz20.zoo' from the
usual places. Use `booz.exe' under MSDOS to unpack the sources in
`booz20.zoo'.
Rahul Dhesi's full zoo current version is 2.1 (also called 2.10).
Executables have been distributed in `comp.binaries.ibm.pc' (3
parts: v13i002-004), sources has been distributed through
`alt.sources' on 91-07-10 (14 parts). Fetch the executables in
`zoo210.exe' and sources in `zoo210s.zoo' from the usual
places. Execute the self extracting `zoo210.exe' under MSDOS to
unpack the zoo executables and documentation. Unpack the sources with
the obtained `zoo.exe'.
GNU dbm current GNU version is 1.5. Version 1.4 has been ported
to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl. Fetch sources in `gdbm14as.zoo' from the
usual places. There is no executables archive associated with GNU dbm.
Many library routines frequently occurring in various GNU products have been ported to MSDOS by Thorsten Ohl, to help other ports. Fetch sources in `gnulibas.zoo' from the usual places. There is no executables archive associated with Thorsten Ohl's `gnulib'.
A swapping library has been developped by Thorsten Ohl, using Microsoft C v6.0, to be used by some of his other GNU ports. Fetch sources in `swalibas.zoo' from the usual places. There is no executables archive associated with Thorsten Ohl's `swaplib'.
Note that this is not a complete libc(3), but rather a small
collection of GNU specific routines.
GNU chess current GNU version is 4.0.54. This version should
compile without changes on MSDOS, please someone give me a pointer to an
already prepared executable. Fetch sources in
`gnuchess-4.0.pl54.tar.Z' from `prep.ai.mit.edu' [18.71.0.38],
in `pub/gnu'.