ArcaOS and doors.
reddit / bbs

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Emergency-Sample269 · 2023-06-29 05:32

I was pondering setting up a ArcaOS computer. And setting it up as a
bbs door game server. Never used Arcaos. How does it do with DOS
programs? What are some issues do you guys think will pop up?

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dmine45 · 2023-06-29 08:11

The biggest question is it a 32-bit OS or is it a 64-bit OS?

If I recall, ArcaOS is a successor to OS/2. OS/2 in the 90s was a
32-bit BBS and it ran DOS BBS doors just fine. I ran a BBS in OS/2
from 1996 to 1999 and it ran great in OS/2.

The issue is that if it is a 64-bit OS, does the command line support
16-bit DOS programs or not. Windows 10 64-bit does not, but 32-bit
does. Windows 11 is only 64-bit and does not. You can kludge your
Windows systems to run 16-bit DOS games by using a program called
NTVDMx64.

I found this website doing a quick Google search that says it's 32-bit
and will probably never go to 64 bit

[https://www.arcanoae.com/faqwd/do-you-have-plans-for-a-64-bit-
arcaos/](https://www.arcanoae.com/faqwd/do-you-have-plans-
for-a-64-bit-arcaos/)

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ten-oh-four · 2023-06-29 10:40

It’s 32 bit so you’re safe there. The problem is, what software would
you use to interface with the games? Mystic? Synchronet? GameSrv?
Would any of these work in a seamless way to the user?

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Emergency-Sample269 · 2023-06-29 12:26

I was thinking gameserv. From what I can tell it should run natively.
Not like dosbox serial connection magic type thing. Granted this could
all be an awful idea. Lol

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Emergency-Sample269 · 2023-06-29 12:28

Windows ugh. I mean I could use a 95/98 box todo it with. But my main
concern there was no security updates. And old school os/2 did good
with dos and windows. But yes its 32 bit. I just figured this would be
a more stable, more secure way.

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robbiew · 2023-06-29 16:49

I’m using ArcaOS (setting up OS/2 native, legacy BBS apps). Yeah it’s
32bit, and SIO2K works similarly to a stripped down net2bbs. Some OS/2
bbs had telnet servers built-in, but using SIO handles fossil drivers
so running DOS doors should be cake using the DOS emulation…

Only thing is the fiddly setup with drives and formats. I just can’t
get it to install on some machines.

Also, there is a known issue w/windowed DOS apps - full screen works
great tho.

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dmine45 · 2023-06-29 21:13

ArcaOS is just OS/2. So it should work.