js-dos VS v86

Funny timing. I actually just built an in-house server this past Friday to host the original Oregon Trail using js-dos because I don't like poking holes in the content filter for sites like archive.org. I didn't worry too much about copyright, as I assumed it was abandonware at this point.

Thanks glad you liked it! It's actually not a port but is running on DOS via https://js-dos.com/, same as Doom and Jazz Jackrabbit. I actually have my 8 favorite Shareware games on my website which can all be played.

https://dustinbrett.com/?app=FileExplorer&url=/Users/Public/...

Maybe something like https://js-dos.com/ for dos and https://www.emulatorjs.com/ for old game consoles?

DOS Emulation via js-dos

Adding emulators is something I always wanted to do and I have plans to add more in 2022. For 2021 I was able to add Virtual x86 (.img/.iso), BoxedWine (.exe/.zip), JS-DOS (.exe/.zip) & Ruffle (.swf/.spl). Most of these emulators utilize WebAssembly to run non-JS code.

It can indeed run some real windows programs via BoxedWine. I've set it up so you can double click an .exe and it will automatically try and run it, although typically if it needs support dll's then they are all in a zip. For example the zip file for Notepad++ 32-bit x86 can directly run in BoxedWine. You just drag the zip file on, right click and select run in BoxedWine. It can also run DOS apps/games via JS-DOS and has similar mappings for exe/zip. Both emulators make use of WASM as do several other apps, such as the x86 emulator shown in the demo video. My main "OS" is only JS/HTML/CSS written in TypeScript with React/Styled Components.

> As a thought experiment, we're almost there! We could technically have `win95.img + bochs86vm.wasm + autorun.inf + msword.exe` wrapped in a "browser evaluator"

I looked into this and... holy crap! We are there. Not for modern programs quite yet, sure, but this is amazing. You can use Windows 2000 from your browser.

https://copy.sh/v86/?profile=windows2000

I think you are looking for Shadow.

https://shadow.goose.icu

Or just the whole kitchen sink. Why not?

http://copy.sh/v86/?profile=windows98

Also: https://github.com/copy/v86 - more productized browser x86 runtime, used by eg https://github.com/snaplet/postgres-wasm

Wonder if you could put all those databases in a Linux image and boot it using v86 [0], eliminating the need for a server.

[0] https://github.com/copy/v86

Trying it out in https://copy.sh/v86/?profile=kolibrios , it's also clearly a love letter to Windows 95 in particular. That could be an unstated goal here, create a very particular PC experience under very particular constraints. I don't know anything about the creator but it's very possible that this kind of work was actually their career in the 90s.

It's incredible how much work was done. Maybe this should be an internet curiosity like how TempleOS has become, though Terry's personality was a unique factor.

hmm, why would people still use VMWare? Isn't vbox open source, or even things such as https://copy.sh/v86/ would do most virtualization trick now days?

Oh, there are more OSes one can use at the parent page:

https://copy.sh/v86/

My highlights:

- First version of Windows (1.01)

- SerenityOS <3

- and even ReactOS