I'm pretty sure that was really what it was built for. I never saw anything but rips for it... but thats not a bad thing... its just what it is...
I don't even think they are maintaining the dos port anymore. I think they got rid of the windows port to remove themself from the generic public / newbees...
And linux IS a great platform for arcade machines (If you know Linux)... But don't expect it to be any faster then windows because of X.... there is a non-X version I heard that is faster then mame dos... but I don't know if its even maintained these days...
along with that... Windows is a GREAT platform for people who know windows... One isn't really better then the other... Just ones easier then the other...
I disagree... linux is a HORRIBLE os for a multi emulation arcade cab. Mind you it's not linux itself, linux is great... it's the lack of video games, front ends, emulation utilities and, well, emulators on linux. If you are satisfied with only having 20% of the choices out there then linux or dos are fine, otherwise suck it up, get a decent machine and run windows xp.

For the record mugen never had a windows port... they were starting the windows port when they got fed up with just what I was saying.... nothing but games consisting of sprite rips. From what I understand they created it because they had a lot of programming talent but not so much artistic talent. They made the engine hoping someone would come out with a cool new fighter. When that fighter never came they pretty much abandoned the project. Mugen hasn't been updated since late 2002. Don't be fooled, just because people used it that way didn't mean that's how they intended it to be used, else they wouldn't have went through the trouble of making the kung fu man character.