connect the dot

Artifact

86-DOS

Operating system written at Seattle Computer Products; bought by Microsoft and shipped with the IBM PC as PC DOS.

2 links, 0 backed by primary records

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Dates
1980
Also known as
QDOS, Quick and Dirty Operating System

86-DOS, also called QDOS, was written at Seattle Computer Products. Microsoft bought it and adapted it for the IBM PC, where it shipped as PC DOS; Microsoft licensed the same system to other manufacturers as MS-DOS.

Connections 2

acquired by

  • Microsoft 1981 $50,000 Scholarship & press 1

    Licensed in December 1980 for $25,000; all rights bought the next summer for a further $50,000.

developed by

Timeline 3 dates
  1. 1980 86-DOS
  2. 1980 Seattle Computer Products developed 86-DOS
  3. 1981 Microsoft acquired 86-DOS
Proof 1 source
  1. Microsoft MS-DOS early source code, Computer History Museum, 25 Mar 2014. Scholarship & press
    Microsoft originally licensed 86-DOS in December 1980 for a flat fee of $25,000. By the next summer they recognized the importance of owning it and being able to license it to other companies making IBM-PC clones, so they purchased all rights for an additional $50,000.
    Microsoft proposed licensing “86-DOS”, which had been written by Tim Paterson at Seattle Computer Products (SCP) for their 8086-based computer kit because the 16-bit version of CP/M was late.
Page history 1 change
  1. connect-the-dot: sourced knowledge graph engine, site and contentAlibeka7fa236

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