Difference between revisions of "PC Operating System Comparison"
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[http://www.mameworld.net/dosmame/ Dos Mame Support] - another good site on getting DOS Mame running on a DOS cab, including getting sound cards working and memory management. | [http://www.mameworld.net/dosmame/ Dos Mame Support] - another good site on getting DOS Mame running on a DOS cab, including getting sound cards working and memory management. | ||
| − | [http://http-server.carleton.ca/~dmcfet/menu.html] - a site showing how you can create menus in DOS (great for boot menus). | + | [http://http-server.carleton.ca/~dmcfet/menu.html How to make DOS Menus] - a site showing how you can create menus in DOS (great for boot menus). |
Revision as of 22:29, 24 March 2006
Introduction
TODO: Add Linux, DOS and Windows are not the only two operating systems
Back in the day, MAME was developed to run from DOS and users had to use a Windows frontend or Mame32 to get it running in Windows. From MAME v0.37b15 onwards, Windows became the MAMEdev's platform of choice. Still, running a MAME build from pure DOS will give you best bang for your buck; allowing you to take that 8 year old PC out of the dumpster and turn it into the heart of your home arcade machine.
These days DOS is a mystery to most people, and a DOS system can take a lot of work to set up correctly; so it's understandable that most people choose to go the Windows route.
From a development perspective, it makes sence that the MAMEdevs left msDOS for a more modern work environment. However, if you're got a PC based home arcade machine, DOS can have many advantages over a Windows based PC.
Advantages
| DOS | Windows |
|---|---|
| Boots to your Front-End faster | Is a current OS that more people are familiar with |
| Is solid as a rock | Hardware and software makers develop for Windows |
| Can display on an Arcade monitor without special hardware. | |
| Using batch files (.bat) a high degree of customization is available (including menu creation). |
Dis-Advantages
| DOS | Windows |
|---|---|
| Nobody seems to understand DOS anymore | Is difficult to display on arcade monitor without special hardware |
| Newer hardware may not work under DOS (such as TV - Out) | Takes some time to boot to your Front-End |
Relevant Links
Purple MAME - a good (but outdated) site on getting DOS Mame running on a cab.
Dos Mame Support - another good site on getting DOS Mame running on a DOS cab, including getting sound cards working and memory management.
How to make DOS Menus - a site showing how you can create menus in DOS (great for boot menus).
