allow access to parallel port

[Razvan Cosma <razvan.cosma@telemach.com>]

  Hello,
I'm trying to get some ancient applications to run on Mandrake 9.2, 
dosemu-1.1.99.1-1.i586.rpm. Everything goes well, except for printing. 
The bloody apps seem to be written in Fox or Dbase.
dmesg output:
parport0: PC-style at 0x378 (0x778) [PCSPP,TRISTATE]
parport0: irq 7 detected
parport0: Printer, EPSON LX-300+
parport1: PC-style at 0x278 (0x678) [PCSPP,TRISTATE,EPP]
parport1: irq 5 detected
lp0: using parport0 (polling).
lp1: using parport1 (polling).
I have added the user to the lp group, that has write access to /dev/lp0 
and /dev/lp1, specified user c_all in dosemu.users, set dosemu.bin suid 
root, placed
 $_ports = "device /dev/lp0 range 0x378 0x37a"
 $_ports = $_ports, " device /dev/lp1 range 0x278 0x27a"
 $_irqpassing = "5 7"
in dosemu.conf, yet the good ole d 40:0 line in debug shows only zeroes 
on the first line.
Obviously the apps do not work, and I'm very much out of ideas. 
Everything goes OK with just ms-dos or Windows on the same system, but 
that is in no way a solution. Any other hints please?

Thank you,
Razvan