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Programming languages for x86 (8086 640 kb)

J

JT64

Experienced Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
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402
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Sweden
Is there any newer programming languages ported for older computers. I know of Borland Pascal, and C and Basic and Fortran. But what about more rescent programming languages, maybe they have to high memory requirments?
 
How recent is recent? Remember some of the old pharts here has been around when coding in assembly is considered the norm... (though I am sure some may even have used paper tape and punch cards.) :D
 
Which languages are you looking for? There was a Java subset for DOS about 10 years ago and I think the FreeDOS mailing list includes mention of few ported languages that are new to me.

Some of the problems are the memory requirements and certain 8086 DOS unfriendly expectations like longer file names or default 32bit structures. But even languages that would fit on a 8086 don't get ported often since finding the necessary older hardware is a complication. Rare is the programmer that both understands good object-oriented compiler design and all the unusual trickery of 8086 memory management.
 
I would suggest using Open WATCOM as a cross compiler for C/C++/Fortran (and run the code using Bochs)- it has 8086 as a target output.

Open Source Lua/REXX should be buildable for DOS as well, because both of their code- to my recollection- is ANSI C, and they don't rely on GCC extensions that make porting most open source projects a nightmare. DJGPP doesn't work because it only supports 386 and higher targets.
 
krebizfan said:
Which languages are you looking for? There was a Java subset for DOS about 10 years ago and I think the FreeDOS mailing list includes mention of few ported languages that are new to me.

Some of the problems are the memory requirements and certain 8086 DOS unfriendly expectations like longer file names or default 32bit structures. But even languages that would fit on a 8086 don't get ported often since finding the necessary older hardware is a complication. Rare is the programmer that both understands good object-oriented compiler design and all the unusual trickery of 8086 memory management.
Click to expand...

I was dreaming a bit about learnin Python on my all XT, i saw there was a 16-bit version for dos but it required DJGPP. I think i have a go with Watcom C and C++ as someone suggested, or maybe i just go little fun with Borland Pascal.
 
Well, so we hear. ;-) Anyway yeah C++ isn't dead or what I would consider old. You can do cgi to anything so even a web app could technically use it and receive the response. If one was desperate you could do VB for dos but I'm not sure of processor requirements, I could see it requiring a 386 or something.
 
Personally, I always enjoyed TurboBasic and PowerBasic. They made quick executables that didn't need the runtime libraries that QuickBasic did and BASIC programs are great fun to play with. I even wrote a full accounting/inventory management system using PowerBasic around 1991/92. I'm pretty sure both will run on an x86 with 640kb..I used to use them on my 1000HX, as well as Zenith Z-248's and newer.

Jeff
 
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