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== MS-DOS == '''[[MS-DOS]]''' ('''M'''icro'''s'''oft '''D'''isk '''O'''perating '''S'''ystem) is a family of [[Operating system|operating systems]] developed by [[Microsoft]] for [[IBM PC compatible]] personal computers. It was the standard [[Operating system|OS]] for PCs during the 1980s and early 1990s, before [[Graphical user interface|graphical user interfaces]] ([[Graphical user interface|GUIs]]) like [[Microsoft Windows|Microsoft Windows]] became widespread. MS-DOS was a '''[[Command-line interface|command-line interface]]''' (CLI) operating system. This means users interacted with it by typing commands at a text prompt, rather than clicking on icons or menus with a mouse. It was also primarily a single-tasking (generally running one program at a time) and single-user operating system. === History === [[Microsoft]] purchased the rights to a system called QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) in 1981, which they adapted and developed into MS-DOS. It was released as PC DOS when bundled with [[IBM PC compatible|IBM PCs]] and MS-DOS when sold separately or bundled with hardware from other manufacturers. MS-DOS went through several versions, adding features like support for hard drives, directories (folders), and improved memory management. Early versions of [[Microsoft Windows|Microsoft Windows]] (up to Windows 3.11) were not full operating systems themselves but rather graphical environments that ran on top of MS-DOS, using DOS for file management and system services. === Key Characteristics === The defining features of MS-DOS included: * **[[Command-line interface|CLI]]:** The user typed commands at a prompt (e.g., `C:\>`). Examples of common commands include: * `DIR`: List files and directories. * `CD`: Change directory. * `COPY`: Copy files. * `DEL`: Delete files. * `EDIT`: Simple text editor. Interacting with the computer required knowing the specific commands and their syntax. * **Single-Tasking:** Generally, only one application could run actively at a time. Running a new program usually required closing the previous one (though some utility programs could run in the background as Terminate and Stay Resident - TSRs). * **Single-User:** Designed for one person using the computer at a time. * **[[File system|File System]]:** Used drive letters (like `C:` for the primary hard drive, `A:` and `B:` for floppy drives) and a hierarchical directory structure (folders). Filenames were limited to an 8-character name plus a 3-character extension (the "8.3" format). * **Configuration Files:** System startup and hardware [[Device driver|device driver]] loading were configured through text files like `CONFIG.SYS` and `AUTOEXEC.BAT`. * **[[Batch file|Batch Files]]:** Users could create [[Batch file|batch files]] (with a `.BAT` extension) containing sequences of commands to automate tasks. === Role and Decline === MS-DOS was crucial in the early popularity of personal computers, providing a standardized platform for [[Software]] development and hardware compatibility for [[IBM PC compatible|IBM PCs]] and their clones. Its decline began with the rise of more user-friendly, [[Graphical user interface|GUI]]-based operating systems. Windows 95, released in 1995, integrated the [[Operating system|OS]] and [[Graphical user interface|GUI]] more tightly, managed resources more effectively (supporting pre-emptive multitasking), and eventually replaced MS-DOS as the primary operating system for most users. === Legacy === Although MS-DOS is no longer actively developed or used as a standalone primary [[Operating system|OS]], its legacy persists. The concepts of the [[Command-line interface|command line prompt]], drive letters, directory structure, and [[Batch file|batch files]] influenced subsequent operating systems, including later versions of [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]. The Command Prompt and PowerShell in modern Windows can still execute many commands similar to DOS commands and navigate the [[File system|file system]] using drive letters. === See Also === * [[Command-line interface]] * [[Microsoft Windows]] * [[Operating system]] * [[IBM PC compatible]] * [[Batch file]] * [[Graphical user interface]] * [[File system]] === References === * {{cite web |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-history/ |title=History of Microsoft |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=2025-04-25}} - Overview of Microsoft's history including DOS. * {{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/MS-DOS |title=MS-DOS |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=2025-04-25}} - Encyclopedia definition and history. * {{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/06/the-86-dos-building-blocks-of-windows-a-history-of-microsofts-operating-systems/ |title=The 86-DOS building blocks of Windows |publisher=Ars Technica |access-date=2025-04-25}} - Article detailing the origins of MS-DOS. [[Category:MS-DOS]] [[Category:Operating systems]] [[Category:Microsoft software]] [[Category:Command-line interface]] [[Category:History of computing]]

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