sandbox for Win16 and DOS applications

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user222
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sandbox for Win16 and DOS applications

Post by user222 »

Microsoft does not provide a sandbox for Win16 and DOS applications. Win16 applications can still modify the registry, or add files to the system directory. Win16 task mangers can even see Win32 processes. I don't think this is a good thing. I hope ReactOS would have a sandbox for Win16 and DOS applications.
Dr. Fred
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Post by Dr. Fred »

A sandbox for all kinds of apps would be nice. Of cause as a option not running automatically :)
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Post by AcetoliNe »

maybe, but you have to realize that doing such a thing would be hard work. Creating a sandbox for Win16 processes would mean a whole lot of modifications to the architecture of ReactOS. This is one of those things that would be nice to implement in the future, but definately not at this time.
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user222
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Re: sandbox for Win16 and DOS applications

Post by user222 »

user222 wrote:Microsoft does not provide a sandbox for Win16 and DOS applications. Win16 applications can still modify the registry, or add files to the system directory. Win16 task mangers can even see Win32 processes. I don't think this is a good thing. I hope ReactOS would have a sandbox for Win16 and DOS applications.
It's even worse. NTVDM even maps Win16 variables to their Win32 equivalents. Win16 applications can even modify Windows color scheme or the default Windows shell. Some examples are "Workplace Shell for Windows"; it modifies the "Shell" started by "Winlogon", and the Windows 3.11 tutorial; it modifies the Windows color scheme.
Harteex
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Post by Harteex »

Just wondering, what makes 16bit apps more dangerous to the system folder and registry than 32bit apps?
Meklort
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Post by Meklort »

Harteex wrote:Just wondering, what makes 16bit apps more dangerous to the system folder and registry than 32bit apps?
I'm not sure if there is anything bad about that, but i do know lots of 16bit apps try and access the hardware directly wich is not allowed.
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Post by Mollyzkoubou »

Then emulate the hardware access. That's what DOSEMU does, and I believe NTVDM as well.

Moll.
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Post by Delfi »

meklort wrote:
Harteex wrote:Just wondering, what makes 16bit apps more dangerous to the system folder and registry than 32bit apps?
I'm not sure if there is anything bad about that, but i do know lots of 16bit apps try and access the hardware directly wich is not allowed.


so lets block them like windows does..

you have to ask yourself WHY those apps use hardware directly:
- lack of drivers
- faster code
- usually they access com and lpt ports, no big deal if you ask to me..

so why do you want to run 16 bit apps aniway?

thy practicly died-out.
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Post by A-v-S »

ReactOS is a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 clone ,WINNT supports windows 16 bit programs
then i think ROS should do so too.
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Harteex
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Post by Harteex »

Yes, of course they can't access the hardware directly. So that has to be emulated/blocked.
I hope ReactOS will run 16 bit apps in the future, though it looks like none of the current team is interested in it.

But the things user222 posted about is the registry, the system directory and the ability for 16 bit apps to see 32 bit processes.
I don't really see the problem with that.
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Post by GvG »

Harteex wrote:I hope ReactOS will run 16 bit apps in the future, though it looks like none of the current team is interested in it.
It's not so much that I'm not interested, it's more that there are so many other things to do. If I have to choose between (to name a few) getting FireFox running, implementing DirectX and implementing a 16 bit subsystem, then the 16 bit subsystem is going to loose.
user222
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Post by user222 »

Harteex wrote: But the things user222 posted about is the registry, the system directory and the ability for 16 bit apps to see 32 bit processes.
I don't really see the problem with that.
It is because many times a Win16 task manager would not function correctly with Win32 processes. They sometimes see the windows belonging to one Win32 process as separate processes.
Harteex
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Post by Harteex »

GvG wrote: It's not so much that I'm not interested, it's more that there are so many other things to do. If I have to choose between (to name a few) getting FireFox running, implementing DirectX and implementing a 16 bit subsystem, then the 16 bit subsystem is going to loose.
I had gotten another impression before, but that's nice to hear :)
I also agree that things like that are of higher priority.
Anyway, then there is hope for the future ;)
user222 wrote:It is because many times a Win16 task manager would not function correctly with Win32 processes. They sometimes see the windows belonging to one Win32 process as separate processes.
Ok I see.
user222
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Post by user222 »

Dr. Fred wrote:A sandbox for all kinds of apps would be nice. Of cause as a option not running automatically :)
I agree with you. Why implement a sandbox only for 16-bit applications? There should be one for 32-bit applications also.
Sarocet
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Post by Sarocet »

Yes, i think it's a good idea to have a sandbox for every kind of app. However, i suppose you would need to write a specific sandbox for Win16 and other for Win32 (or a double-size program). What do you think?
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