[kqr]

I actually think this is rather sensible. If I didn't have to learn DOS from scratch[1] to do it, I would be tempted to use it as a platform for many of my side projects. As you say, it will forever be a desirable platform to maintain (currently in the shape of DOSBox) thanks to the vast quantities of software – especially games – written for it.

[1]: I am young enough that when I last used DOS was before I had started programming, so I never learned it beyond command-line interaction.