DOS stands for Disk Operating System. Why is it named so?

jackson6612

DOS stands for Disk Operating System. Why is it named so? Does the 'system' drive 'disk', or the 'system' is operated using some 'disk'? I know I have it right but it could help you to understand what I'm trying to ask. Please let me know. Thanks.

DanP

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_Operating_System

korny

DOS was invented to replace TOS, or, tape operating system. The term was coined to allow advertisers to tout that their systems addressed disks, rather than tape, the advantage being that disks did not need rewinding between read or write action.

jackson6612

Disk Operating System (specifically) and disk operating system (generically), most often abbreviated as DOS,refers to an operating system software used in most computers that provides the abstraction and management of secondary storage devices and the information on them (e.g., file systems for organizing files of all sorts). Such software is referred to as a disk operating system when the storage devices it manages are made of rotating platters, such as floppy disks or hard disks.

The Windows OS's also manage disks and software on them. The Windows OS's are in themselves software which need to be installed on disks. So, are the Windows also DOS's? If they are, then why does every Windows OS have a separate DOS "Command Prompt"?

In the early days of microcomputers, computer memory space was often limited, so the disk operating system was an extension of the operating system. This component was only loaded if needed. Otherwise, disk access would be limited to low-level operations such as reading and writing disks at the sector-level.

Could you please the above text?

In some cases, the disk operating system component (or even the operating system) was known as DOS. [Wikipedia]

Hi

It would really nice of you if you could help me with the above queries. My queries are in blue. Thanks.

Redbelly98

Besides being a generic term, "DOS" is also the name of Microsoft's PC-based operating system that was used until Windows 95 was introduced. The DOS command prompt refers to that operating system, and allows one to execute the commands that were part of Microsoft DOS.

jackson6612

Thanks, Red98.

Could you please also answer the other questions?

By the way, what does "abstraction" mean in this phrase "the abstraction and management of secondary storage devices"?

Redbelly98

I'll answer what I can.
It depends what you mean by "DOS". Yes, Windows is a disk operating system. No, Windows is not Microsoft DOS, the name given to the PC operating system that preceded Windows.
In that case, "DOS" refers specifically to Microsoft DOS, the PC operating system that preceded Windows. See my earlier Post #5.

Your question is not clear, I think your sentence is missing a key word or phrase. If you're asking for an explanation or elaboration of the above text, then I don't know.

I don't know.