Shoutbox

The latest true native MSDOS version was 6.22 (or for some localized versions 6.23)...

Since then there is never been a native stand alone MSDOS version anymore.

MSDOS 7.0 and higher is an integrated part of Windows 98 and higher (except for the NT based versions). Windows doesn't "emulate" DOS, it runs DOS as a process like any other program in Windows.

Booting up in DOS is something different. But even when you boot up in these new DOS versions (eg, like you could boot up in DOS with Windows 98), a part of Windows will always be loaded!

To have a true native DOS version running (eg :MSDOS 6.22) you need to create a dedicated FAT32 bootable partitition with its own(!) DOS bootrecord (not a windows bootrecord) and install MSDOS 6.22 (or lower) on that.

The MSDOS versions 7.0 and higher include more commands than the native MSDOS 6.22 (and lower) versions. They also include more control, not less. Some commands have new parameters and the possebilities are much much higher. The batch language has also much more possebilities and is much closer to a real programming language. But many problems can arise when you run a true native DOS program in these new DOS versions. There are many differences between the two.

As for the Windows NT architecture, DOS isn't included anymore as part of Windows, but it is a program like any other program so to speak and it controls the console window. It isn't a real standalone OS anymore. In a way this DOS console could be called a MSDOS "emulator", although this isn't entirly correct though.