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Add to SafariWhen comparing FreeDOS vs Linux From Scratch, the Slant community recommends Linux From Scratch for most people. In the question“What are the best operating systems for advanced users?” Linux From Scratch is ranked 13th while FreeDOS is ranked 28th. The most important reason people chose Linux From Scratch is:
It is an opportunity for the learner to learn what's behind every piece of program in the system, because you will install and configure all the packages manually. It is also as an advantage to expand your knowledge by searching the possibilities of crafting your unique flavor, for example your own package manager and update schemes.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Open Source
GNU GPL
Pro Large and friendly community
You won't be let alone, any question submitted on FreeDOS forums will be detailedly answered in a few hours time.
Pro Compatible with MS-DOS apps
Pro Supports FAT32 partition
As opposite to every MS-DOS version equal or older than 6.22, or any DR-DOS version, you won't be restricted by a 2 Gb large FAT16 partition.
Pro Highly portable OS
It takes ten minutes to make a portable, USB FreeDOS drive, All you need is a USB device FAT or FAT32 formatted (128 Mb should be enough, but a 2 GB device would be better). First make a FreeDOS bootable USB drive with a program like Rufus (on Windows) or UnetBootin (on linux or Mac). Select it at boot and run fdisk to make a Primary DOS partition and install FreeDOS on it. Final step: reboot and run fdisk again to make the new partition active (optional: delete the installer partition). After that, the system is ready to boot with any computer.
Pro Extremely lightweight
Takes less than 10 seconds to boot.
Pro Easy to dual-boot, either with any Linux distro or Windows
If you install a Linux distro after Freedos, GRUB2 will automatically detect it. As for Windows, newer EasyBCD releases implemented FreeDOS and automatically recognize it.
Pro Best for learning the components, libraries and configurations of the whole system one-by-one
It is an opportunity for the learner to learn what's behind every piece of program in the system, because you will install and configure all the packages manually. It is also as an advantage to expand your knowledge by searching the possibilities of crafting your unique flavor, for example your own package manager and update schemes.
Pro For those who wonder what it takes to create an actual Linux distribution
It's a very useful learning experience; showing the user what is required and in what order, to obtain a running Linux system - from the inside out.
Cons
Con Unlikely going to be your PC main OS
If looking for a lightweight OS, and thinking of FreeDOS as a possible option, consider that it will only useful when having to deal with legacy software, or other dos-based programs still commonly used at workplaces. Nonetheless it's a fantastic solution for Retro-Gamers who still own a a supported sound card. However the lack of modern software makes it hard to accomplish common everyday tasks, such us opening a document written in UTF-8, not mentioning, obviously docx and pdf files. The best choice is to install it on a USB drive, in order to have a portable OS, with basic hardware and all your files (and if you want games) ready to be launched with every machine. Useful to edit partitions, as well as restore MBR, check errors, install a light bootmanager on any kind of FAT partiton of every IDE-mode compatible hard-disk.
Con Obvious lack of sound card drivers
If you own a sound card produced after than 2000, you won't find a driver to make it work.
Con Not recommended for Beginners
By creating a Linux system from scratch you will be managing and compiling all of the systems packages by hand, so advanced Linux knowledge is recommended.
Con Takes a while to create the system. Only for those people who would like to create their very own distribution, or just to understand what makes a Linux system tick.
Linux From Scratch, requires the user to download and compile, all the various required system libraries and programs in a ch-rooted environment. This is usually done from within an existing and already running Linux system. This is not really a con, just a note to the new user.
