1. FMB8900's Avatar
    So, BBM and a native email client for the BlackBerry PlayBook would be nice, but what we have today is a step in a completely different direction. DOSBox, everyone's favorite open-source x86 emulator, has been successfully ported to RIM's QNX-based tablet, bringing with it MS-DOS and Windows 3.11 support. A command-line-based OS can certainly be tiring after spending so many years with a GUI, but those ancient games of yesteryear are timeless -- Wolfenstein 3D, anyone? If you happen to live north of the border, where the Playbook just got a massive price cut, a repurposed DOS tablet could be in your future for a mere $200 -- plus a few extra bucks for a Bluetooth keyboard, which naturally you'll need to navigate DOS. Jump past the break for a tease of the action.
    DOSBox ported to BlackBerry PlayBook, brings MS-DOS and Windows 3.11 to QNX (video) -- Engadget
    nothing2003 likes this.
    11-17-11 04:10 PM
  2. Sonic77's Avatar
    So we can buy a tablet for $200 that runs windows 3.11, that's progress
    FF22 and asherwiin like this.
    11-17-11 04:13 PM
  3. tayshun12's Avatar
    Damn you beat me to it!, hopefully they get XP on it after all is said and done. Hackers, Commence Hacking!
    bpdude likes this.
    11-17-11 04:28 PM
  4. FF22's Avatar
    So we can buy a tablet for $200 that runs windows 3.11, that's progress
    While true in the main, there are still dos programs that I wish ran on all platforms. Simple, efficient, tiny - perfect. I was testing dosbox with Buerg's List program.
    11-17-11 05:20 PM
  5. howarmat's Avatar
    i forget, doesnt windows 3.11 have spell check unlike the actually PB
    FF22 and marksthespot60 like this.
    11-17-11 05:28 PM
  6. bpdude's Avatar
    Its a baby step in the right direction.
    11-17-11 05:29 PM
  7. blackjack93117's Avatar
    But how do you install windows on to Playbook with 3.5 inch floppies? I seriously just sold some Windows 3.1 disks on Ebay...dang.
    11-17-11 06:52 PM
  8. bpdude's Avatar
    But how do you install windows on to Playbook with 3.5 inch floppies? I seriously just sold some Windows 3.1 disks on Ebay...dang.

    I'll dust off my old wordstar and dbase floppies when you figure it out.
    11-17-11 06:57 PM
  9. FF22's Avatar
    I am going to try lotus 123 and my hiking spreadsheet with copy/paste - obviously an improvement over what is offered on the pb.
    11-17-11 09:39 PM
  10. Eakle's Avatar
    I will try it. Wanna play Prince of persia and also Keen 1-4. But I wonder how can I control the game
    11-17-11 10:22 PM
  11. FMB8900's Avatar
    I think you would control the game with a bluetooth keyboard. like in the video.
    11-17-11 10:30 PM
  12. Eakle's Avatar
    I think you would control the game with a bluetooth keyboard. like in the video.
    yeah, thanks guy.
    11-17-11 10:41 PM
  13. meltbox360's Avatar
    We are working on it in the apps section. A7omic added on screen keys so some games are playable without a keyboard. Unfortunately it appears doom will not run smooth but it does run. Maybe it could work with some tweaking. Windows 95 runs but there are no dosbox specific drivers or thats my impression. I will try installing windows95 with drivers and post back in the apps section to tell everyone if it runs any better because right now its slow. Its useable if you just want to look around but it doesnt look like windows95 games will be a go. If I ever get around to it I will look into making it faster but before i do that I will be making a chip 8 and gameboy advance emulator or snes emulator for the playbook to learn the art of emulation. Expect this to be a long process. For now we are saying its in alpha and not very fun to use but we will continue trying to improve it. For now it will probably be a7omic doing most of the fixes because im having trouble with the source and I need a while to bring my c knowledge up to scratch. Try it out, a7omic just posted an automounting version with a config file for dosbox that you can modify!
    11-17-11 11:48 PM
  14. jafobabe's Avatar
    But how do you install windows on to Playbook with 3.5 inch floppies? I seriously just sold some Windows 3.1 disks on Ebay...dang.
    I have some punch cards if you need 'em
    meltbox360 and FF22 like this.
    11-18-11 12:15 AM
  15. FF22's Avatar
    I have some punch cards if you need 'em
    I do date my early programming experiences to punch cards - oh, those huge decks and the tedium of sending it for a compile only to discover a typo - sheesh, we even had typos back then and they were just as hard to fix on punch cards as they are on the pb!!!!
    jafobabe and howarmat like this.
    11-18-11 12:55 AM
  16. sportline's Avatar
    aha! someone please port CIVILIZATION : SID MEIER
    that would be fun!
    11-18-11 01:36 AM
  17. pblakeney's Avatar
    I have some punch cards if you need 'em
    Don't forget the tapes.....i think i still remember how to key in those cards...wow going waaaaaaaay back. :-)
    11-18-11 10:08 AM
  18. Pete6#WP's Avatar
    So we can buy a tablet for $200 that runs windows 3.11, that's progress
    Yep. Bet the iPad can't do THAT!!!
    11-18-11 10:12 AM
  19. Pete6#WP's Avatar
    Don't forget the tapes.....i think i still remember how to key in those cards...wow going waaaaaaaay back. :-)
    Oh Mr. Holerith, just cut off one corner.
    11-18-11 10:13 AM
  20. sk8er_tor's Avatar
    Wow, that's cool. Hopefully this shows the ease of porting to/developing for QNX. Prince of Persia.... awesome. Brings back a lot of memories!
    11-18-11 10:41 AM
  21. A7omic's Avatar
    Wow, that's cool. Hopefully this shows the ease of porting to/developing for QNX. Prince of Persia.... awesome. Brings back a lot of memories!
    I believe this was the actual point of creating this project, the intent was not to release dosbox it was to provide and example project and show devs how easy(relative) it would be.
    Last edited by A7omic; 11-18-11 at 10:50 AM.
    11-18-11 10:47 AM
  22. Sonic77's Avatar
    I seen the developers thread with the files to download,
    how do you get bar file to install on the Playbook ?
    11-18-11 11:36 AM
  23. meltbox360's Avatar
    I seen the developers thread with the files to download,
    how do you get bar file to install on the Playbook ?
    Under playbook settings go to security and enable development mode. Then download ddpb installer onto your pc. Open it and add the .bar file. Connect your playbook to your pc. Hit refresh on ddpb and the ip addres should fill in automatically. If it did not then tap the little man with a gear on the playbooks status bar. There should be one or two ip addresses. Copy either one into ddpb. Type in your password on ddpb that you entered on your playbook when enabling development mode. Hit install. It should install.

    If it didn't then maybe your missing playbook drivers on your pc. Install those and try again is all I can say.
    11-18-11 12:08 PM
  24. Sonic77's Avatar
    Thanks Meltbox360, got it installed !

    Now I guess I need a KB attached...
    11-18-11 02:08 PM
  25. blackjack93117's Avatar
    I am going to try lotus 123 and my hiking spreadsheet with copy/paste - obviously an improvement over what is offered on the pb.
    I'm just wondering - and this is not meant to be insulting. Does every single post have to contain a dig against playbook? Some kind of rule? Strange phenomenon. What motivates this behavior in a top poster? Seriously wondering. Hurt feelings? Vengeance? Hoping to set RIM straight? What is it?

    Close your eyes, meditate on the question.
    Last edited by blackjack93117; 11-18-11 at 02:19 PM.
    11-18-11 02:16 PM
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