The History of the Disk Operating System (DOS)

The History of the Disk Operating System (DOS)

At the outset, before the advent of user friendly operating systems, computers were run using the operating system CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputers). The program itself looked simple, but the complexity of its use meant that not many fully understood how to use it. As the program was also limited in use, since it was designed for 8-bit systems, a new operating system was needed when 16-bit IBM systems came out.

IBM tried to purchase CP/M from its inventor Gary Kildall, but he proved to be elusive and refused to sell. IBM through Microsoft and owner Bill Gates, acquired and licensed a similar program, the Q-DOS program. The first commercially available operating system, PC-DOS, was based upon this purchase.

In order to retain the rights to PC-DOS, Bill Gates talked IBM into allowing him to separate the sale of the operating system from the computer. This separation of software and hardware helped allow him to create MS-DOS and the global dynasty he now holds today (Bellis).

Types of DOS and when they were in Use

In the early days of DOS programming, there were many variations, but MS-DOS did not start out as a Microsoft product. CP/M was designed by Gary Kildall, called the man who could have been Bill Gates. As Steve Hamm from Business Week states:

"There's no doubt that Kildall was one of the pioneers of the industry. He invented the first operating system for microcomputers in the early 1970s, making it possible for hobbyists and companies to build the first personal computers. Legalities aside, Microsoft's original DOS was based in part on Kildall's CP/M. His insight was that by an creating operating system separate from the hardware, applications...

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...ating systems (pp. 14-17). Ann Arbor, MI: Nimble Books.

References

Bellis, M. (n.d.). Putting Microsoft on the map: History of the MS-DOS Operating Systems, IBM & Microsoft. In About.com Inventors. Retrieved January 14, 2012, from http://inventors.about.com/od/computersoftware/a/Putting-Microsoft-On-The-Map.htm

Ceruzzi, P. E. (1998). A history of modern computing (pp. 270-272). London, England: The MIT Press.

DOS (Disk Operating System) . (n.d.). In DOS History. Retrieved January 14, 2012, from http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/reach/435/dos.htm

Hamm, S., & Greene, J. (2004, October 25). The man who could have been Bill Gates. In Business Week. Retrieved January 14, 2012, from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_43/b3905109_mz063.htm

Watson, J. (2008). A history of computer operating systems (pp. 14-17). Ann Arbor, MI: Nimble Books.