My feeling is that the first step should be to make the existing floppy-based boot disks into CD versions first.
The second step is to expand the software. A DOS program is very small; originally, because of the 1.44 limitation,
a lot of software was not added, or what was included was an incomplete version.
For example, the fonts in the Chinese character support system: the original full versions looked much better and had much stronger features, but the current ones are very ugly.
The third step is to add networking functions and utilities. For example, under DOS it should at least be possible to telnet to BBSes, and to send simple email.
It should also be possible to use a browser like links to look at English web pages.
Then add some commonly used programs, such as for watching movies and pictures.
Listening to MP3s, and so on.
Don't make some cut-down version of Windows, because that would make the system read the CD-ROM drive constantly!!!!
By then it'll be time to replace the CD-ROM drive!!!
Actually, some games and a calculator could also be included; aren't a lot of games very small?
Also add some utility software, for example things that can inspect disks at a low level.
Then it wouldn't just be a boot disk, but a usable DOS live CD. That's the direction development should take!!!
Supplement:
Aren't there those small 200MB CDs now? Use that 200MB as the limit; for DOS, that's already a massive amount.
Also, a lot of machines nowadays don't even come with a floppy drive, and still fussing over 1.44 is really....
Small DOS files can be read quickly from CD, and can be loaded into a RAM disk all at once, without repeated rereading, which can also reduce wear on the CD-ROM drive.
In addition, you could consider making boot versions for USB storage devices, divided into 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, etc.
One thing that needs attention is that compatibility must be good. Otherwise everyone downloads it and burns the disc, only to find halfway through booting that it can't be used—that would really be too disappointing! As for the files being a bit larger, that doesn't matter much.
The second step is to expand the software. A DOS program is very small; originally, because of the 1.44 limitation,
a lot of software was not added, or what was included was an incomplete version.
For example, the fonts in the Chinese character support system: the original full versions looked much better and had much stronger features, but the current ones are very ugly.
The third step is to add networking functions and utilities. For example, under DOS it should at least be possible to telnet to BBSes, and to send simple email.
It should also be possible to use a browser like links to look at English web pages.
Then add some commonly used programs, such as for watching movies and pictures.
Listening to MP3s, and so on.
Don't make some cut-down version of Windows, because that would make the system read the CD-ROM drive constantly!!!!
By then it'll be time to replace the CD-ROM drive!!!
Actually, some games and a calculator could also be included; aren't a lot of games very small?
Also add some utility software, for example things that can inspect disks at a low level.
Then it wouldn't just be a boot disk, but a usable DOS live CD. That's the direction development should take!!!
Supplement:
Aren't there those small 200MB CDs now? Use that 200MB as the limit; for DOS, that's already a massive amount.
Also, a lot of machines nowadays don't even come with a floppy drive, and still fussing over 1.44 is really....
Small DOS files can be read quickly from CD, and can be loaded into a RAM disk all at once, without repeated rereading, which can also reduce wear on the CD-ROM drive.
In addition, you could consider making boot versions for USB storage devices, divided into 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, etc.
One thing that needs attention is that compatibility must be good. Otherwise everyone downloads it and burns the disc, only to find halfway through booting that it can't be used—that would really be too disappointing! As for the files being a bit larger, that doesn't matter much.
