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Wikipedia

PC-MOS/386

January 23, 2023

PC-MOS/386 is a multi-user, multitasking computer operating system produced by The Software Link (TSL), announced at COMDEX in November 1986 for February 1987 release.[1] PC-MOS/386, a successor to PC-MOS, can run many MS-DOS programs on the host machine or a terminal connected to it. Unlike MS-DOS, PC-MOS/386 is optimized for the Intel 80386 processor; however early versions will run on any x86 computer. PC-MOS/386 used to be proprietary, but it was released as open-source software in 2017.

PC-MOS/386
A screen-print of the PC-MOS-386 startup screen
DeveloperThe Software Link
Written in80x86 assembly language, C
OS familyDOS
Working stateActive
Source modelOpen source
Initial release1987; 36 years ago (1987)
Latest release5.01
Repository
  • github.com/roelandjansen/pcmos386v501
Available inEnglish
Platformsx86 architecture
Kernel typeMonolithic
Influenced byMS-DOS
Default
user interface		Command-line interface (COMMAND.COM)
LicenseGPL-3.0-only
Official websiteGithub

History

The last commercial version produced was v5.01, compatible with MS-DOS 5. It required a memory management unit (MMU) to support memory protection, so was not compatible with 8086 and 8088 processors.

MMU support for 286 class machines was provided using a proprietary hardware shim inserted between the processor and its socket. 386 machines did not require any special hardware.

Multi-user operation suffered from the limitations of the day including the inability of the processor to schedule and partition running processes. Typically swapping from a foreground to a background process on the same terminal used the keyboard to generate an interrupt and then swap the processes. The cost of RAM (over US$500/Mb in 1987) and the slow and expensive hard disks of the day limited performance.

PC-MOS terminals could be x86 computers running terminal emulation software communicating at 9600 or 19200 baud, connected via serial cables. However, the greatest benefit was reached when using standard, "dumb" terminals which shared the resources of the then central 386-based processor. Speeds above this required specialized hardware boards which increased cost, but the speed was not a serious limitation for interacting with text-based programs.

PC-MOS also figured prominently in the lawsuit Arizona Retail Systems, Inc. v. The Software Link, Inc., where Arizona Retail Systems claimed The Software Link violated implied warranties on PC-MOS. The case is notable because The Software Link argued that it had disclaimed the implied warranties via a license agreement on the software's shrinkwrap licensing. The result of the case, which Arizona Retail Systems won, helped to establish US legal precedent regarding the enforceability of shrinkwrap licenses.[2]

There was a year 2000 problem-like issue in this operating system, first manifesting on 1 August 2012 rather than 1 January 2000: files created on the system from this date on would no longer work.

On 21 July 2017 PCMOS/386 was relicensed under GPL v3 and its source code uploaded to GitHub,[3] with the "year 2012" issue corrected.[4]

Commands

Commands supported by PC-MOS Version 4 are:[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Multiuser Operating System to Use 386 Microprocessor's Virtual Modes, InfoWorld, Nov 17, 1986
  2. ^ Bennett, Oliver. "Arizona Retail Systems". cyber.law.harvard.edu.
  3. ^ Jansen, Roeland (8 February 2018). "pcmos386v501: PC-MOS/386 v5.01 final release including cdrom driver sources" – via GitHub.
  4. ^ Sprinkle, James (30 January 2019). "Date Bug" – via GitHub.
  5. ^ PC-MOS User Guide


January 23, 2023
this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, february, 2018, learn, when. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources PC MOS 386 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message PC MOS 386 is a multi user multitasking computer operating system produced by The Software Link TSL announced at COMDEX in November 1986 for February 1987 release 1 PC MOS 386 a successor to PC MOS can run many MS DOS programs on the host machine or a terminal connected to it Unlike MS DOS PC MOS 386 is optimized for the Intel 80386 processor however early versions will run on any x86 computer PC MOS 386 used to be proprietary but it was released as open source software in 2017 PC MOS 386A screen print of the PC MOS 386 startup screenDeveloperThe Software LinkWritten in80x86 assembly language COS familyDOSWorking stateActiveSource modelOpen sourceInitial release1987 36 years ago 1987 Latest release5 01Repositorygithub wbr com wbr roelandjansen wbr pcmos386v501Available inEnglishPlatformsx86 architectureKernel typeMonolithicInfluenced byMS DOSDefaultuser interfaceCommand line interface COMMAND COM LicenseGPL 3 0 onlyOfficial websiteGithub Contents 1 History 2 Commands 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory EditThe last commercial version produced was v5 01 compatible with MS DOS 5 It required a memory management unit MMU to support memory protection so was not compatible with 8086 and 8088 processors MMU support for 286 class machines was provided using a proprietary hardware shim inserted between the processor and its socket 386 machines did not require any special hardware Multi user operation suffered from the limitations of the day including the inability of the processor to schedule and partition running processes Typically swapping from a foreground to a background process on the same terminal used the keyboard to generate an interrupt and then swap the processes The cost of RAM over US 500 Mb in 1987 and the slow and expensive hard disks of the day limited performance PC MOS terminals could be x86 computers running terminal emulation software communicating at 9600 or 19200 baud connected via serial cables However the greatest benefit was reached when using standard dumb terminals which shared the resources of the then central 386 based processor Speeds above this required specialized hardware boards which increased cost but the speed was not a serious limitation for interacting with text based programs PC MOS also figured prominently in the lawsuit Arizona Retail Systems Inc v The Software Link Inc where Arizona Retail Systems claimed The Software Link violated implied warranties on PC MOS The case is notable because The Software Link argued that it had disclaimed the implied warranties via a license agreement on the software s shrinkwrap licensing The result of the case which Arizona Retail Systems won helped to establish US legal precedent regarding the enforceability of shrinkwrap licenses 2 There was a year 2000 problem like issue in this operating system first manifesting on 1 August 2012 rather than 1 January 2000 files created on the system from this date on would no longer work On 21 July 2017 PCMOS 386 was relicensed under GPL v3 and its source code uploaded to GitHub 3 with the year 2012 issue corrected 4 Commands EditCommands supported by PC MOS Version 4 are 5 ABORT ADDDEV ADDTASK ALIAS AUTOCD BATECHO BREAK CALL RETURN CD CLASS CLS COMMAND COMPFILE COPY DATE DEBUG DIR DIRMAP DISKCOPY DISKID DOT ECHO ED ENVSIZE ERASE EXCEPT EXPORT FILEMODE FLUSH FOR FORMAT GOTO HDSETUP HELP IF IMPORT INSERT KEY KEYMAP MD MORE MOS MOSADM MSORT MSYS NEXT ONLY PATH PAUSE PRINT PROMPT RD REL REM REMDEV REMTASK RENAME SEARCH SET SIGNOFF SIGNON SPOOL STOP SWITCH TEXT ENDTEXT TIME TYPE VERIFY WVERSee also EditDoubleDOS Multiuser DOS Digital Research s unrelated multi user operating system VM 386 unrelated multi tasking DOS environment Virtual DOS machine Multiuser DOS Federation FreeDOS Timeline of operating systemsReferences Edit Multiuser Operating System to Use 386 Microprocessor s Virtual Modes InfoWorld Nov 17 1986 Bennett Oliver Arizona Retail Systems cyber law harvard edu Jansen Roeland 8 February 2018 pcmos386v501 PC MOS 386 v5 01 final release including cdrom driver sources via GitHub Sprinkle James 30 January 2019 Date Bug via GitHub PC MOS User Guide Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title PC MOS 386 amp oldid 1122744106 PC MOS, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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