#DOSweek
Here is a list of things that are not working quite right with my FreeDOS install on the Lenovo ThinkPad T440p:
1) Sound beyond PC-Speaker emulation. The motherboard chipset probably supports all kinds of synthesis and digitized sound playback, but I'll need some kind of driver to access that and make it available as a virtual SoundBlaster or similar device for older DOS software to use.
2) The default mouse driver loaded by some of the FreeDOS boot options sort of works with the built-in trackpad, but seems to randomly generate button presses when in the FreeDOS edit program, which can lead to random cursor jumps, which is really frustrating. Also in Arachne, the default pointer was almost useless with the trackpad. Plugging in a USB mouse seemed to help quite a lot, or maybe loading the mouse driver manually after other stuff loaded was helping. I may need to experiment a bit more to get stable mouse behavior. (š I just realized that last sentence would make me sound like a animal neurologist or something like that 60+ years ago.)
3) Arachne is rather crashy. I may need better setup of extended memory or something. I could also try Dillo and see if it is better.
4) Installing software originally shipped for multiple floppies is a bit hit or miss. The simple installers, such as for the Borland Turbo dev tools, just create a directory for you then copy the files from the multiple disks. I can, and did, do that manually from downloads that have multiple disk .img/.ima files by using Linux to mount and copy them to a flat folder on an USB stick. But some apps have installers that manipulate the files, or generate files from your setup parameters, or modify you autoexec.bat and config.sys, etc. etc. I don't know if there is a way to have FreeDOS virtualize the insertion of floppy disk images (or file sets in folders) one by one so the installer can load them as it wants and then prompt for the next one. I'd really like to get PC/GEOS GeoWorks Pro installed, but the installer is doing some stuff I don't know whether I can manually reproduce.
5) It doesn't have a Forth on it yet!!! I can fix that real quick though. š
Regarding a recent ruling, in SFC v. Vizio, Karen Sandler (SFC Director, former GNOME Director), responds to the Linux creator by saying "maybe you didn't read".
More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/
A Microsoft rep made the statement, saying the company would use Al to hit a target of "1 engineer, 1 month, 1 million lines of code". Then quickly went into damage control.
More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/
In the Linux Foundation's 2025 annual report, AI is mentioned 150 times. Linux is only mentioned 40 times. Also: Linux Foundation boasts about scholarships to Trans & DEI orgs.
More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/
Ads are filling the entirety of the Web -- websites, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc. -- at an increasing rate. Prices for those ad placements are plummeting. Consumers are desperate to use ad-blockers to make the web palatable. Google (and others) are desperate to break and block ad-blockers. All of which results in... more ads and lower pay for creators.
It's a fascinatingly annoying cycle. And there's only one viable way out of it.
Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links? Check here:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm
Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4898317/give-the-gift-of-the-lunduke-journal
Those in power with openSUSE make it clear they will not allow me anywhere near anything related to the openSUSE project. Ever. For any reason.
Well, that settles that, then! Guess I won't be contributing to openSUSE! š¤£
Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links?
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm
Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4898317/give-the-gift-of-the-lunduke-journal
After 20 years together (18 years married), I was finally able to get my lovely wife to watch Die Hard. She never had any interest because of how violent it was, but for whatever reason she was open to it this Christmas. Iām happy to report that she loved it! Yippee-ki-yay everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and have a happy New Year.
Woah!
The end of December is almost here!
That means the ā$89 Lifetime Lunduke Journal Subscriptionā deal is about to end!
When the ball drops on New Years Eve, and the calendar clocks over to 2026, the Lifetime Subscription price goes back to normal.
So, you know, grab one before that darn ball drops! (Then check out all of the Lunduke Journal Subscriber Perks.)
Because that deal is re-DONK-u-lous.
-Lunduke
Two quick tidbits on this glorious Sunday:
Lifetime Subscriptions to The Lunduke Journal are currently discounted to $89. For life. Which isā¦ insane. Thatās less than 1/3rd of the regular price.
Monthly and Yearly subscriptions are 50% off. Which is also pretty darned snazzy.
On Tuesday I will be recording a long-overdue episode of āLundukeās Nerdy Q&Aā.
Got questions youād like asked in the show? No guarantees, but Iāll get to as many as I can!
Retro computing. Current computer news. Ridiculous hypotheticals. Any question is fair game... just make sure itās good and nerdy.
To make it simple for me, there are two ways you can submit questions for this weekās Q&A:
Add a comment to this thread on Forum.Lunduke.com.
Reply to this thread over on X.
Ok. I lied.Ā There are three ways.Ā You can also reply to this post, right here, on Locals.
Note: Only Lunduke Journal subscribers can access to Forum.Lunduke.com. All of the details on how to gain access are on the Lunduke Journal Subscriber Perks page.
-Lunduke
Time for some Fun Lunduke Journal Facts of Fact-ly-ness!
The āper-monthā cost of a Lifetime Subscription to The Lunduke Journal is an asymptotic line. The longer you have that subscription, the closer it gets to $0.00.
The Lifetime Subscription was first introduced 3 1/2 years agoā¦ and is still going strong.
The price of a Lifetime Subscription is currently discounted to $89. For life. Thatās less than 1/3rd the normal price.
The earlier you pick one up, the quicker that asymptotic line begins approaching zero. Which is fun.
If you think you might ever want a Lifetime Subscription, now is the time.
Imagine missing this discounted price and missing out on months of, mathematically certain, asymptotic line fun. This is one of those scenarios where Future You (tm) would want to travel back in time to tell Present You (tm) to snag a Lifetime Subscription.
Go. Grab the Lifetime Subscription for $89. That deal is good all December long.
Thereās a video of me yammering about it too. Just for good measure.
Youāre welcome.
-Lunduke
