86-DOS 0.30

86-DOS 0.30
Version of 86-DOS
Placeholder.png
Version0.30
Compiled1980-10/11
Replaces
86-DOS 0.2
Replaced by
86-DOS 0.33

86-DOS 0.30 is an unreleased beta[1] build of 86-DOS. Not much is known about the build besides its existence.

Because of the fact versions 0.33 and 0.34 are often referred to as 0.3, even by Tim Paterson himself, this release's sources are limited. The only known correctly labeled source is a 1981 license agreement between Microsoft and Seattle Computer Products.[2]

Authenticity of sources[edit | edit source]

Mislabeled sources[edit | edit source]

  • 86-DOS Version 0.3 User's Manual/Programmer's Manual by Tim Paterson[3]
  • "A Short History of MS-DOS" by Tim Paterson[4]
    • "0.3" is referring to version 0.34.
  • comp.os.cpm message by Barry Watzman[5]
    • "0.3" is referring to either version 0.33 or 0.34.[6]

Correctly labeled sources[edit | edit source]

There is only one source mentioning 0.30 that is known to be correct – the 6 January 1981 license agreement between Microsoft and Seattle Computer Products, which mentions a sole instruction manual versioned "0.3".[a] The license agreement states that the manual is dated 15 November 1980.[2] Because 86-DOS 0.33 – the next version – was released in December 1980,[7] the version number cannot be a mislabel.

A second source that may be correct is an email between Tim Paterson and comp.os.cpm newsgroup member Bill Hemmings. In the email, Paterson refers to version "0.3" of 86-DOS, saying it was only seen by 30 people.[1] It is unknown whether this is a mislabel or not.

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. This manual is not the same as the scanned manuals also versioned "0.3", as instead of having a "user's" manual it has an "instruction" manual. Additionally, the scanned manuals are from "[circa] December 1980".

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Hemmings, Bill (5 May 1999). Dos 1.1. comp.os.cpm.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Brock, Rod; Allen, Paul (6 January 1981). 86-DOS License Agreement with Microsoft. Slated Antitrust Documents.
  3. Paterson, Tim (2005). 86-DOS Manuals. PatersonTech.
  4. Paterson, Tim (June 1983). A Short History of MS-DOS. BYTE Magazine. p. 246.
  5. Watzman, Barry (12 November 1999). which is first, Intel or Microsoft. comp.os.cpm.
  6. Watzman, Barry (22 July 2009). Images of Seattle Computer Proudcts (SCP) S-100 boards. comp.os.cpm.
  7. Hunter, David (March 1983). The Roots of DOS: Tim Paterson. Softalk for the IBM Personal Computer. p. 12-15.