Announcement copied from the main page of the FreeDOS website:

" Please help us test the new release candidate (RC) for the FreeDOS 1.3 release! There are a ton of new changes and improvements from 1.2, including:

• New FreeCOM 0.85a
• New Kernel 2043 and an 8086 version with FAT32 support
• Floppy Edition now uses compression and requires about half as many diskettes
• The return of networking
• Some new programs and games
• Many many many package updates
• Some updates and improvements to NLS
• Improved install process, especially with the MBR
• Some support to automatically set the COUNTRY.SYS information
• Improved CD initialization for the boot media and installed system … and much, much more! Get your copy of FreeDOS 1.3 RC5 from the FreeDOS Downloads page. Thanks to everyone for helping make this next FreeDOS 1.3 release candidate!

Things are looking pretty good in this release. We’d love to make this the last release candidate before the official release of “FreeDOS 1.3.” You can help make that happen by downloading FreeDOS 1.3 RC5 and testing all the programs! Let us know of any bugs or compatibility issues so we can fix them. "

(link above is to the FreeDOS 1.3 RC5 downloads page)