Employing dos/cmd instead of the explorer shell
Employing dos/cmd instead of the explorer shell
I've been exploring other options for explorer.exe and its graphical interfaces. BB4WIN looks interesting. Regarding a constant full-screen CMD or DOS prompt, it would be challenging since most GUI apps expect a normal window. For a gaming PC, it should work fine as many games run in full screen. Have you tried removing explorer.exe and using a full-screen CMD instead? It might affect how quickly you launch other applications. Anyone know of methods to keep the CLI full screen after closing a game or switching apps? Also, would it be possible to let GUI apps run on top of a full-screen terminal?
Windows operating systems built on NT were created specifically for GUI environments such as Windows NT 3.x through 10. Everything functions through objects rather than pipelines, unlike Linux-based systems. This design reason explains why Linux terminals often outperform Windows in usability. The command prompt in Windows (or PowerShell) can simulate a command-line feel, whereas on Linux it works differently. Using Command Prompt or PowerShell daily can make Windows feel cumbersome and sluggish. Still, you’re free to launch the command prompt and press F11 if needed.
I understand your perspective mostly. For most of my tasks, Norton Commander and a command-line interface would work well for about 90%. The main issue arises when closing the game and the CLI doesn’t stay in full screen. Everything else I handle via CLI is fine, but I need a solution to keep the CLI, CMD, or PowerShell active so it remains visible when another full-screen app closes. I’m considering switching to Linux, though some games won’t run there.
Pressing F11 doesn't affect the CMD on my system. I'm using Windows 7. I need an alternative to CMD to enable full screen, since I can't use the Explorer. A third-party CMD app that supports full screen works fine without Explorer before launching a game. Once I play a game and close it, the CMD gets minimized. That's what I'm trying to stop. XP also had this issue with full screen CMD, especially on version 10, which breaks compatibility for many games.
I tried it before and it worked for any game. A few highlights include KOTOR 1 & 2, Silent Hill 1-3, Mount & Blade, Battlefront 1, MechWarrior 2-4, AOE1, Populous: The Beginning, Gnome, Dominion, Dark Forces 2, Quake 2 & 3. There are many more titles, mostly from the 90s and early 2000s, plus a lot of DoS games. Most of these require 16-bit installers or can be unstable on newer operating systems. They’re all original CD releases, which can cause issues today.
I notice these titles are mostly 16-bit classics. It seems you're referring to MechWarrior 2, which is a standout example. I think you're playing them via DOSBox on Windows 10.