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MS-DOS: Difference between revisions
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By default, MS-DOS is driven by a command line interface – the <code>A:\></code> or <code>C:\></code> prompt shown when the command processor is ready to accept input ultimately became one of the unofficial symbols of DOS. Several software vendors have developed programs that add a more friendly user interface to manage files and launch other programs. Microsoft itself included such a program, the [[w:DOS_Shell|MS-DOS Shell]], with some versions of MS-DOS. | By default, MS-DOS is driven by a command line interface – the <code>A:\></code> or <code>C:\></code> prompt shown when the command processor is ready to accept input ultimately became one of the unofficial symbols of DOS. Several software vendors have developed programs that add a more friendly user interface to manage files and launch other programs. Microsoft itself included such a program, the [[w:DOS_Shell|MS-DOS Shell]], with some versions of MS-DOS. | ||
There is very limited support for running multiple programs simultaneously in MS-DOS. The operating system allows a program to terminate and stay resident (TSR), meaning that a portion of the program's code can stay present in memory and be triggered by an API call or a hardware interrupt even after the base program exits. A proper [[Multitasking MS-DOS 4|multitasking version]] of MS-DOS was produced in 1986, | There is very limited support for running multiple programs simultaneously in MS-DOS. The operating system allows a program to terminate and stay resident (TSR), meaning that a portion of the program's code can stay present in memory and be triggered by an API call or a hardware interrupt even after the base program exits. A proper [[Multitasking MS-DOS 4|multitasking version]] of MS-DOS was produced in 1986, however, it only shipped to a limited number of OEMs and eventually evolved into [[OS/2]]. | ||
Originally, MS-DOS was not available directly in retail, and was instead distributed by OEMs who licensed it from Microsoft. The manufacturer would receive an OEM Adaptation Kit, which would then be used to build a custom version of MS-DOS with support for a specific machine. However, as the market settled on close to 100% IBM-compatible clones, Microsoft eventually started offering a generic IBM-compatible version of MS-DOS. At first, the generic version was still distributed by the OEMs who bulk-ordered it from Microsoft, although eventually Microsoft started selling MS-DOS directly in retail starting with [[MS-DOS 5]]. | Originally, MS-DOS was not available directly in retail, and was instead distributed by OEMs who licensed it from Microsoft. The manufacturer would receive an OEM Adaptation Kit, which would then be used to build a custom version of MS-DOS with support for a specific machine. However, as the market settled on close to 100% IBM-compatible clones, Microsoft eventually started offering a generic IBM-compatible version of MS-DOS. At first, the generic version was still distributed by the OEMs who bulk-ordered it from Microsoft, although eventually Microsoft started selling MS-DOS directly in retail starting with [[MS-DOS 5]]. | ||