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DISK OPERATING SYSTEM (DOS)
A disk operating system, or DOS,
is the set of fundamental programs that enables a computer to run
other programs compatible with it.
More Detailed Definition:
DOS is an acronym for disk operating
system. The term DOS can refer to any operating system, but it is
most often used as a shorthand for MS-DOS (Microsoft disk
operating system). Originally developed by Microsoft for IBM,
MS-DOS was the standard operating system for IBM-compatible
personal computers.
The initial versions of DOS were very simple and resembled another
operating system called CP/M. Subsequent versions have became
increasingly sophisticated as they incorporated features of
minicomputer operating systems. However, DOS is still a 16-bit
operating system and does not support multiple users or
multitasking.
For some time, it has been widely acknowledged that DOS is
insufficient for modern computer applications. Microsoft Windows
helped alleviate some problems, but still, it sat on top of DOS
and relied on DOS for many services. Even Windows 95 sat on top of
DOS. Newer operating systems, such as Windows NT and OS/2 Warp, do
not rely on DOS to the same extent, although they can execute
DOS-based programs. It is expected that as these operating systems
gain market share, DOS will eventually disappear. In the meantime,
Caldera, Inc. markets a version of DOS called DR-OpenDOS that
extends MS-DOS in significant ways.
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