What is DOS and Development History

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Definition of DOS

What is DOS and Development History

The DOS (Disk Operating System) is an operating system developed by Microsoft to run computers using Intel 8086 and 8088 processors in 1981 and became known to the wider community in 1983. Along with technological developments, this operating system was later replaced by Windows, which is currently the most popular operating system in the world.

However, even though it has been superseded for a long time, the DOS still has fans and continues to be used today. In this article, we will discuss what DOS is, its history, functions and advantages, its development over time, and how to use this on modern computers.

This operating system is a character-based operating system that only uses the command line interface (CLI) as the user interface. That is, the user must enter certain commands through the keyboard to operate the computer.

DOS was first used on the IBM PC in 1981 and became the standard operating system on IBM PC computers until 1995. During its heyday, this OS became the dominant operating system in the computer world and became the primary platform for software development.

Functions and Advantages

DOS has various functions and advantages that make it popular at its time. Here are some of the functions and advantages:

  1. Easy to use
    This operating system has a simple and easy-to-use user interface. Users only need to enter certain commands through the keyboard to operate the computer.
  2. Stable and reliable
    This is a stable and reliable operating system. Although not as complex as modern operating systems, DOS can be relied upon to carry out basic tasks on a computer.
  3. Good compatibility
    This OS has good compatibility with a wide variety of hardware and software. This allows it to be used on a wide variety of computers and applications.
  4. An affordable price
    This is an operating system that is relatively affordable compared to today’s modern operating systems. This made DOS a popular choice for computer users at the time.


Development History of DOS

This operating system has evolved over time. Here are some versions ever released by Microsoft:

  1. MS-DOS 1.0 (1981)
    MSDOS 1.0 was the first version released by Microsoft. This version only has limited features and can only run simple applications such as word processing programs and worksheets.
  2. MS-DOS 2.0 (1983)
    MSDOS 2.0 is a more advanced version compared to previous versions. This version can run more complex applications such as database processing programs.
  3. MS-DOS 3.0 (1984)
    MSDOS 3.0 was a version that introduced new features such as disk compression and multitasking capabilities. This version can also run more complex applications such as image and sound processing programs.
  4. MS-DOS 4.0 (1988)
    MSDOS 4.0 was a version that brought new features such as better multitasking capabilities and support for larger hard disks. However, this version is also considered as the worst version because it has lots of bugs and compatibility issues.
  5. MS-DOS 5.0 (1991)
    MSDOS 5.0 is the version that is considered the most stable and reliable version. This version includes new features such as a system recovery utility and better configuration management capabilities.
  6. MS-DOS 6.0 (1993)
    MSDOS 6.0 was a version that brought new features such as better system recovery utilities and more flexible configuration management capabilities. This version also introduces more efficient memory usage features.
  7. MS-DOS 6.22 (1994)
    MSDOS 6.22 was the last DOS version released by Microsoft. This version is the most stable and reliable of all DOS versions ever released.


How to Use DOS on Modern Computers

Although it has long been replaced by modern operating systems such as Windows, DOS still has fans and continues to be used today. To use this OS on modern computers, we can use an emulator such as DOSBox.

DOSBox is an emulator that can be used to run DOS programs on modern computers. Here are the steps for using DOSBox:

  • Download and install DOSBox on your computer.
  • Open DOSBox and enter the command “mount c c:\dos” to load the C drive in DOSBox.
  • Enter the command “c:” to switch to the C drive.
  • Start the program by entering the name of the executable file (“.exe“) or batch file (“.bat“).
  • To exit DOSBox, enter the “exit” command.

In conclusion, Disk Operating System (DOS) is an operating system developed by Microsoft to run computers using the Intel 8086 and 8088 processors. Although it has long been replaced by modern operating systems such as Windows, this Operating System still has fans and continues to be used today.

Read more : Difference of Windows, MacOS and Linux

With current technological developments, the use of this Operating System is increasingly rare. However, for some people, the use of this OS is still an option for certain reasons such as security and stability which are considered better.

By mastering the basics of using the Disk Operating System, we can access various kinds of applications and programs that still require the DOS operating system to run. In addition, the use of DOS can also increase our knowledge and understanding of the history of the development of computer technology.

So many articles about the understanding and history of Disk Operating System along with how to use this OS on modern computers. Hopefully, this article can provide useful information for readers.