4 ms·

I've long considered getting a netbook, slapping freedos on it and running WordStar or WordPerfect as a writing deck. I'm not sure how I would get my files I c

I've long considered getting a netbook, slapping freedos on it and running WordStar or WordPerfect as a writing deck. I'm not sure how I would get my files I create off the device since USB support isn't really a thing.

kevin_thibedeau 4mo ago
It should run fine under dosemu with a minimal console only Linux.
jwrallie 4mo ago
Something like the Pocket 386 but with a regular size keyboard could be the perfect device for this purpose.
- whartung 4mo ago
  This showed up on HN a couple weeks ago: https://tylercipriani.com/blog/2026/05/28/chuwi-minibook-x/ https://tylercipriani.com/blog/2026/05/28/chuwi-minibook-x/
toast0 4mo ago
I thought freedos could use usb? Get something with built in ethernet or serial and you can transfer that way pretty easy too. Or just run joe as jstar and close enough, maybe? I use joe for mostly everything, but I never used WordStar (well, I ran into it once)
hakfoo 4mo ago
If you use a machine with an ISA slot, you can get a card with a chip called CH375 or CH376, which deploys a USB flash drive like a normal hard disc with either a loadable driver or option BIOS ROM. You can just pull out the entire drive and mount it on a normal Windows or Linux box. I think the below-mentioned Pocket 376 might have one soldered-on already.
WorldMaker 4mo ago
Apparently the right combination of BIOS and FreeDOS gives you somewhat easy USB support: https://superuser.com/questions/740474/how-to-access-a-usb-stick-from-freedos https://superuser.com/questions/740474/how-to-access-a-usb-s...
geonineties 4mo ago
If you want just load the dos net ios/smb stack (or a tcp stack) and go to town.
kqr 4mo ago
I've had similar thoughts and ended up going with FreeBSD and no network connection for my use case. It's been great. It gives you some of the expected terminal ergonomics (and USB support) without the distractions.
incanus77 4mo ago
USB floppy drive on the modern computer side. I do this for old machines.
ErroneousBosh 4mo ago
CF card. Pop the card out, read it on the PC.
anthk 4mo ago
Hyperbola GNU/Linux and Wordgrinder or jstar (from the Joe package) and Markdown, or even Groff as the basic syntax can be easy enough. Then you run groff file.troff -step -k > file.pdf And you can now enjoy a formated book in the spot. If any, check Groff with Mom macros, with does what you need with ease: https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/ https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/ Online manual: https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/momdoc/toc.html https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/momdoc/toc.html For a quick command: pdfmom -step -k yourfile.troff > output.pdf In order to get the last version: - Install groff in Hyperbola GNU/Linux (or any other) if is not installed. It's mandatory in a 99% of distros but not Hyperbola. - get https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/mom-2.6_d.tar.gz https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/mom-2.6_d.tar.gz - uncompress it - copy om.tmac to /usr/share/groff/current/tmac/om.tmac - cd to examples/ directory and do some tests: pdfmom -step -k mom-pdf.mom > mom-pdf.pdf WIth jstar+groff+mom you can get something basically perfect. "-step -k" it's just "-s -t -e -p -k", a bunch of options to enforce UTF-8, some proper handing and whatnot.
- 2b3a51 4mo ago
  Just a footnote to parent post: Groff is developed as a complete set of programs and macro files. Debian, hence Ubuntu and other derivative distros, segment groff into a base package with what you need to display man pages (using the man macros) that comes as part of a base install and an additional package that has the mom macros and all. Just 'apt install groff' to get the full groff distribution.
- whartung 4mo ago
  I essentially did this in college for my freshman comp english class. It wasn't groff, or even Unix, or even a screen editor. It was some RUNOFF clone running on NOS, using the XEDIT line editor. But once you added the few commands you need (page size, margins, double space), it was just blank lines demarcate paragraphs and you're off to the races. The advantage here is that one of the things that actual Wordstar brings to the table is formatting. Few of the other just "editors" offer that. (Notably, things like double space). I would not like to have to maintain double space text in a random text editor. Since the text formatter dealt with word wrap and pages and everything else, I was just able to dump in raw text, not worry about formatting (at all), and just go. It's "OK" to have a line with just a single word on it, so using a line editor really isn't an issue. (Joining lines in XEDIT is kind of a pain in the neck.) The teacher was kind enough to accept my papers from dot matrix printers on reversed green bar paper (cut to width, of course). But, fundamentally, using simple groff is very capable for basic manuscripts without having to fall down a deep dark rabbit hole.
prmoustache 4mo ago
Just use any linux or bsd on a second hand netbook or laptop, install joe editor package, disable graphical desktop and boot to console only. Done. https://joe-editor.sourceforge.io/ https://joe-editor.sourceforge.io/
UncleSlacky 4mo ago
https://github.com/lproven/usb-dos https://github.com/lproven/usb-dos "To get your work off the key, just insert the key into a computer that's already running any more modern OS than DOS."
- lproven 4mo ago
  Thanks for the plug! :-)
- jszymborski 4mo ago
  This looks like a winner, thx!
  - lproven 4mo ago
    I put that together. Any problems, do please let me know.

kevin_thibedeau 4mo ago

It should run fine under dosemu with a minimal console only Linux.

jwrallie 4mo ago

Something like the Pocket 386 but with a regular size keyboard could be the perfect device for this purpose.

whartung 4mo ago
This showed up on HN a couple weeks ago: https://tylercipriani.com/blog/2026/05/28/chuwi-minibook-x/ https://tylercipriani.com/blog/2026/05/28/chuwi-minibook-x/

toast0 4mo ago

I thought freedos could use usb? Get something with built in ethernet or serial and you can transfer that way pretty easy too. Or just run joe as jstar and close enough, maybe? I use joe for mostly everything, but I never used WordStar (well, I ran into it once)

hakfoo 4mo ago

If you use a machine with an ISA slot, you can get a card with a chip called CH375 or CH376, which deploys a USB flash drive like a normal hard disc with either a loadable driver or option BIOS ROM. You can just pull out the entire drive and mount it on a normal Windows or Linux box. I think the below-mentioned Pocket 376 might have one soldered-on already.

WorldMaker 4mo ago

Apparently the right combination of BIOS and FreeDOS gives you somewhat easy USB support: https://superuser.com/questions/740474/how-to-access-a-usb-stick-from-freedos https://superuser.com/questions/740474/how-to-access-a-usb-s...

geonineties 4mo ago

If you want just load the dos net ios/smb stack (or a tcp stack) and go to town.

kqr 4mo ago

I've had similar thoughts and ended up going with FreeBSD and no network connection for my use case. It's been great. It gives you some of the expected terminal ergonomics (and USB support) without the distractions.

incanus77 4mo ago

USB floppy drive on the modern computer side. I do this for old machines.

ErroneousBosh 4mo ago

CF card. Pop the card out, read it on the PC.

anthk 4mo ago

Hyperbola GNU/Linux and Wordgrinder or jstar (from the Joe package) and Markdown, or even Groff as the basic syntax can be easy enough. Then you run groff file.troff -step -k > file.pdf And you can now enjoy a formated book in the spot. If any, check Groff with Mom macros, with does what you need with ease: https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/ https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/ Online manual: https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/momdoc/toc.html https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/momdoc/toc.html For a quick command: pdfmom -step -k yourfile.troff > output.pdf In order to get the last version: - Install groff in Hyperbola GNU/Linux (or any other) if is not installed. It's mandatory in a 99% of distros but not Hyperbola. - get https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/mom-2.6_d.tar.gz https://www.schaffter.ca/mom/mom-2.6_d.tar.gz - uncompress it - copy om.tmac to /usr/share/groff/current/tmac/om.tmac - cd to examples/ directory and do some tests: pdfmom -step -k mom-pdf.mom > mom-pdf.pdf WIth jstar+groff+mom you can get something basically perfect. "-step -k" it's just "-s -t -e -p -k", a bunch of options to enforce UTF-8, some proper handing and whatnot.

2b3a51 4mo ago
Just a footnote to parent post: Groff is developed as a complete set of programs and macro files. Debian, hence Ubuntu and other derivative distros, segment groff into a base package with what you need to display man pages (using the man macros) that comes as part of a base install and an additional package that has the mom macros and all. Just 'apt install groff' to get the full groff distribution.
whartung 4mo ago
I essentially did this in college for my freshman comp english class. It wasn't groff, or even Unix, or even a screen editor. It was some RUNOFF clone running on NOS, using the XEDIT line editor. But once you added the few commands you need (page size, margins, double space), it was just blank lines demarcate paragraphs and you're off to the races. The advantage here is that one of the things that actual Wordstar brings to the table is formatting. Few of the other just "editors" offer that. (Notably, things like double space). I would not like to have to maintain double space text in a random text editor. Since the text formatter dealt with word wrap and pages and everything else, I was just able to dump in raw text, not worry about formatting (at all), and just go. It's "OK" to have a line with just a single word on it, so using a line editor really isn't an issue. (Joining lines in XEDIT is kind of a pain in the neck.) The teacher was kind enough to accept my papers from dot matrix printers on reversed green bar paper (cut to width, of course). But, fundamentally, using simple groff is very capable for basic manuscripts without having to fall down a deep dark rabbit hole.

prmoustache 4mo ago

Just use any linux or bsd on a second hand netbook or laptop, install joe editor package, disable graphical desktop and boot to console only. Done. https://joe-editor.sourceforge.io/ https://joe-editor.sourceforge.io/

UncleSlacky 4mo ago

https://github.com/lproven/usb-dos https://github.com/lproven/usb-dos "To get your work off the key, just insert the key into a computer that's already running any more modern OS than DOS."

lproven 4mo ago
Thanks for the plug! :-)
jszymborski 4mo ago
This looks like a winner, thx!
- lproven 4mo ago
  I put that together. Any problems, do please let me know.