IBM PC DOS

IBM PC DOS: Operating System for IBM Personal Computers

IBM PC DOS was an operating system developed by Microsoft for IBM personal computers in the 1980s. It was the predominant operating system for IBM PCs and compatibles during the 1980s.

What is IBM PC DOS?

IBM PC DOS was an operating system developed by Microsoft for IBM personal computers in the 1980s. It was the first widely used operating system for the IBM PC compatible platform, which later became a huge industry standard. PC DOS was largely based on 86-DOS, which Microsoft had acquired from Seattle Computer Products.

When IBM entered the personal computer market in 1981 with its IBM PC, it contracted Microsoft to provide the operating system. Microsoft licensed 86-DOS from SCP, modified it for the IBM PC hardware, and renamed it to IBM PC DOS. It was provided to consumers by IBM with each IBM PC unit sold. IBM PC DOS provided basic functions like managing files, running applications, and controlling hardware devices.

Over the decade, IBM PC DOS became the predominant operating system installed on IBM PCs and PC compatibles, which grew to dominate the personal computer market. Its command-line interface and APIs formed the foundation for software on the PC platform during that era. It was eventually superseded in the 1990s as Microsoft Windows grew in popularity on PCs.

IBM PC DOS Features

Official Links