DOS is an acronym for Disk Operating System (OS). A disk operating system is software that organizes and controls how computers read, write and interact with disks (floppy, hard, CD-ROM) and communicate with a computer's various input/output devices: keyboards, pointing devices, scanners, microphones, serial and parallel ports; screens, printers, modems, etc.
The first two DOS variants came out concurrently, with the introduction of IBM's PC in August 1981: IBM PC-DOS, and Microsoft MS-DOS. There are now many DOSes: 4DOS (a DOS shell, not an OS), DR-DOS (Novell DOS), FreeDOS, MS-DOS, OpenDOS, PC-DOS, PTS-DOS, REAL-32, RTXDOS, RxDOS, TSX-32, and more, even real-time DOS. All DOSes have monolithic architectures, though FreeDOS 32 will be componentized.
On this page, links are arranged in three groups and levels: 1) Top group: issues spanning multiple unrelated DOSs. 2) Middle group: graphic user interfaces for DOS. 3) Bottom group: specific DOSs.
This category is for DOS operating systems (OSs), including MS-DOS and alternatives. Before submitting be sure that your page isn''t better suited for one of the subcategories.
Digital Research DOS, known as DR-DOS, DOS compatible operating system that has been owned by many companies and known by several names over its history. It was originally developed by the makers of CP/M, one of the oldest operating systems for the x86 architecture. DR-DOS was later purchased by Novell and known as Novell DOS. Caldera Systems then bought Novell DOS and renamed it OpenDOS. Caldera then renamed the product back to DR-DOS. Caldera then spun off the company known as Lineo and transferred ownership of DR-DOS to Lineo.
This category is on information related to FreeDOS, a project which goal is to create a complete, free, 100% MS- and PC-DOS compatible operating system (OS).
Please submit only links related to the FreeDOS project.
All earlier versions of Microsoft Windows were DOS-based: Windows 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, 3.11, 95, 98, Me. They were all built on a foundation of DOS. They all have DOS at their core, no matter what they are called, or how well hidden or hard to access (Win Me) the DOS is.