The reason DOSBox should be preferred is because it supports countless classic games and can even run DOS-based applications. In addition to this, DOSBox is free and open-source software.

Robert Wray wants to know if his old DOS programs will run in Windows 7. Here’s the general rule: If the DOS program ran in XP, it will probably run in a 32-bit version of Windows 7. But no DOS ...

I installed DOSBox and I've found it useful to run DOS-based graphics programs (e.g.: TurboCAD) that didn't provide for writing or exporting data files in formats subsequent software could read.

Some DOS programs will not work in any current version of Windows. Generally, these are utilities that work close to the hardware, such as defraggers and diagnostic tools.

DOSBox Pure is a variation of the popular DOS emulator built for integration in the RetroArch front-end. It lets you run DOS games directly out of ZIP files, as any other RetroArch emulator would.

I’ve been using DOSBox for years, across Windows, Android, and Linux. But running MS-DOS software this effortlessly on a dedicated computer is just a far better solution.