FreeDOS 1.3 Released To Advance This Open-Source MS-DOS Replacement

FreeDOS 1.2 released back on Christmas 2016 and now a half-decade later has finally been succeeded by FreeDOS 1.3 for advancing this open-source alternative to MS-DOS.

FreeDOS has been trending 5~6 years between major releases and on Sunday marked the christening of FreeDOS 1.3. FreeDOS 1.3 brings the new Kernel 2043, an 8086 version with FAT32 support, many update updates and FreeCOM 0.85a, and a wide variety of other improvements.

FreeDOS remains popular for enjoying classic DOS games, some embedded system tasks, flashing some old motherboard BIOSes, and related legacy work while also being a passionate project for some free software developers.

FreeDOS

The release announcement on FreeDOS.org sums up FreeDOS 1.3 as:

The new FreeDOS 1.3 is now available for download! This contains a bunch of great new features and improvements since the 1.2 release, including: new FreeCOM 0.85a, new Kernel 2043 and an 8086 version with FAT32 support, floppy Edition now uses compression and requires about half as many diskettes, the return of networking, some new programs and games, many many many package updates, some updates and improvements to NLS, improved install process, especially with the MBR, some support to automatically set the COUNTRY.SYS information, improved CD initialization for the boot media and installed system, .. and much, much more!

FreeDOS 1.3 can be downloaded as a live CD, USB disk image, light USB image, and even the floppy disk edition continues to be produced.