 freedos (formerly free-dos and pd-dos) is a free operating system for ibm pc compatible computers. it intends to provide a complete dos-compatible environment for running legacy software and supporting embedded systems. unlike ms-dos, freedos is composed of free and open source software, licensed under the terms of the gnu general public license. therefore, its base distribution does not require license fees or royalties and creation of custom distributions is permitted. however, other packages which form part of the freedos project include non-gpl software considered worth preserving, such as 4dos, which is distributed under a modified mit license.   == history == the freedos project began 29 june 1994, after microsoft announced it would no longer sell or support ms-dos. jim hall then posted a manifesto proposing the development of an open-source replacement.{{cite newsgroup | title = pd-dos project *announcement* | author = jim hall | date = 1994-06-29 | newsgroup = comp.os.msdos.apps | url = http://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.msdos.apps/browse_thread/thread/a10993e044dc4b35/e1bb36f1f0d1513b?lnk=st&q=&rnum=26
1998_software DOS_issues Disk_operating_systems Embedded_operating_systems Floppy_disk-based_operating_systems Free_software_operating_systems Free_software_programmed_in_C Microcomputer_software Software_using_the_GPL_license