A FOSSIL is a kind of serial port device driver used by other programs to access the serial port. It is mainly used by BBS programs, and is very common in FidoNet programs.

The word "fossil" is actually an acronym for "Fido-Opus-Seadog Standard Interface Layer".

Most Fossil Drivers are used for a serial port FOSSIL driver for high speed modem users. Supports FIFO UARTs 16550, 16650 and 16750, 115200 bps, any port,
any IRQ, any FIFO trigger level. Fossil driver support is
from the basic DOS Operating System, Desqview, OS/2,
Windows all platforms.

Fossil drivers were invented in the 80's, when not every
modem and/or serial device was 100% compatible.
ADF serial port FOSSIL driver for high speed modem users. Supports 16550, 16650, and 16750 UARTs (and compatbibles), FOSSIL rev level 5, multitasking environments (W3x, W9x, WNT, OS/2, etc), 115200 BPS, any port, any IRQ, any receiver FIFO trigger level. For MS-DOS and compatible environments. ADF does not require purchase or registration (FREEWARE).

Download ADF
BNU serial port FOSSIL rev level 5 compatible driver. Support for up to four (4) simultaneous ports in 16 different configurations. Supports 16550 UART, multitasking environments, 115200 BPS, any port, any IRQ, any configurable FIFO trigger levels. Includes diagnostics module. For MS-DOS and compatible environments.

Download BNU
X00 serial port FOSSIL rev level 5 compatible driver. Supports 16550 UART, multitasking environments, 115200 BPS, any port, any IRQ. Includes diagnostics BOB (break-out-box) module. For MS-DOS and compatible environments. Probably the most popular
Fossil Driver Used.

Download X00
ISDN CAPI FOSSIL Driver and INT 14 emulator for highest CPS-rates. Allows DOS applications to communicate via ISDN using any CAPI. Supports multiple COM ports simultaneously, controlled by a powerful AT command set. Supports CAPI 1.1 and 2.0, fast dynamic channel bundling, X.31, V.120, V.42bis data compression, BTX, analogue modem, and time synchronisation.

Download CAPI

the BBS Xchange
the BBS Xchange

A Telnet FOSSIL driver for Windows

NetFoss allows DOS based BBS programs to be used
over a Telnet connection or a COM port under Windows.

NetFoss will work with any DOS based software that is
`FOSSIL aware', such as BBS programs, BBS doors,
and terminals). It can also be used with native Win32 BBS programs, to allow DOS based doors to be run via Telnet.

Designed for Windows 2003/XP/2000/NT4 workstations
and servers. Supports up to 65000 nodes. Written entirly
in Assembly language for maximum speed, using MASM32.

Very small in size.. under 12k per node! Allows DOS
applications designed only for COM1-COM4 to run on
any node.

Changes FOSSIL-based applications to network-based
without modifications to software.

NetFoss includes the NET2BBS Telnet server, and NetFoss is also compatible with several third-paty Telnet servers, including Argus, Radius, BeeMail, TelSrv, zTelSrv, Dumple, GameSrv, EleBBS, MysticBBS, Virtual Advanced BBS, and WWIV BBS. Nearly all DOS based BBS software can be run with these using NetFoss.