Crypty-X

Crypty-X is a Command Line Interface (CLI) for DOS/Windows.It uses single letters or characters as commands.

Crypty-X is produced by αγφα-soft, and is currently an alpha-build (1.1RC1).

Crypty-X is both free and open-source.The command r (remove files) is considered dangerous (with recursive-deletion, quiet mode, and force-deletion options available), so, partly due to the possibility of bugs, it is locked in the alpha build. However, the user can turn this 'lock' off, by inserting a switch into the command line used to run the program.

Unlike most open-source software, Crypty-X is written in BASIC, which enables programmers who are at most home in this language to contribute to the open-source movement.

Crypty-X also has facilities for logging (k command to 'keep logs'), aliases (a and . to create and run aliases, respectively), and execution of other programs (e command, for 'execute') - which it does by means of being run from a batch file which calls "another" batch file, which the program creates.

However, Crypty-X has a number of weaknesses. There is a considerable likelihood of bugs; it is somewhat difficult to use (although a manual titled "Understanding Crypty-X" is provided, it is rarely kept up to date with changes, and the 'man pages' - accessed through the m command - are even less informative than those under Unix); the support base is small; the TCO is probably quite high. As a result, it would not be practical to use it as one's main shell for normal usage.

Nonetheless, Crypty-X could be of some use when recovering systems, when run under, for example, FreeDOS 1.2 (which comes on Linux Knoppix CDs), or other DOS emulations, as many of these lack important functions or commands.

The userland generally is similar to Unix shells, with short (single-character) commands and switches.

References: [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/alphasoft αγφα-soft]