Carbon OS For Linux

Carbon or Carbon OS is an open source DOS-compatible operating system designed from the ground up to be as lightweight, simple and easy-to-use as possible. It is heavily based on the well known FreeDOS operating system.

Unlike FreeDOS, the Carbon operating system has been designed with usability in mind, perfect for inexperienced DOS users who never worked with such an OS. It is 100% compatibility with the original DOS (Disk Operating System) system.

From the built-in ToC (Table of Contents), the user can choose from different topic areas, such as using 4DOS (the command-line, file selection, directory navigation and other features), view commands by category or name, as well as to learn about aliases and batch files.

The user can learn about variable functions and internal variables, and how to use the environment. Also, you can view error messages, as well as to configure and start 4DOS. From the command-line prompt you can type HELP and press the Enter key to view available commands.

At the moment, the Carbon OS is based on the latest upstream release of the FreeDOS operating system and comes with a 4DOS 8.00 command-line interface. It features no graphical session, support for FAT12, FAT16 and FAT32 file systems, as well as support for Microsoft Windows 95 long file names.

The DOS-like operating system reviewed here is distributed as a dual-arch ISO image that runs on computers supporting the 32-bit and 64-bit architectures. It can be written on a regular CD, a Mini CD or a USB thumb drive. The ISO image features silent boot functionality and supports CD/DVD-ROM drives out-of-the-box. An OVA file is available for those who want to use it in a virtual machine, such as VirtualBox or VMware.