How to run a MS-DOS application in Wine?

DOSBox is a good solution, but Dosemu is a more powerful option; for example, in DOSBox you can't use a printer.

$ sudo apt-get install dosemu

you can edit the configuration if it doesn't suit you:

$ vi /etc/dosemu/dosemu.conf

see http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/oneiric/man1/dosemu.bin.1.html

ScummVM

For classic adventure based on games SCUMM I would recommend ScummVM (page in Software Center). It is less versatile than DOSBox in that it only runs specific titles, but those titles generally run better in ScummVM than they do in DOSBox. Monkey Island and The 7th Guest are both supported.

Here's one way how you can use DOSBox:

1. Install dosbox using Software Center.
2. Install nautilus-open-terminal using Software Center.
3. Open the file browser (Nautilus) and go to the folder that contains your DOS game.
4. Right click on some empty space and select 'Open Terminal Here'.
5. In the terminal type dosbox . -- note the single dot at the end of the command. It is important: it tells DOSBox that you want to make the current directory available as the C: drive inside the emulated DOS environment.
6. You'll get a DOSBox window with a C:\> prompt. Type the name of the executable (the file named something.exe or something.com or something.bat that you want to run)
7. Enjoy.