HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Multiuser DOS is a
real-time Real-time or real time describes various operations in computing or other processes that must guarantee response times within a specified time (deadline), usually a relatively short time. A real-time process is generally one that happens in defined ...
multi-user multi-tasking operating system for
IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible de facto standard. Released on August 12, 1981, it was created by a team ...
-compatible microcomputers. An evolution of the older Concurrent CP/M-86, Concurrent DOS and Concurrent DOS 386 operating systems, it was originally developed by Digital Research and acquired and further developed by
Novell Novell, Inc. was an American software and services company headquartered in Provo, Utah, that existed from 1980 until 2014. Its most significant product was the multi- platform network operating system known as Novell NetWare. Under the le ...
in 1991. Its ancestry lies in the earlier Digital Research
8-bit In computer architecture, 8-bit integers or other data units are those that are 8 bits wide (1 octet). Also, 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) architectures are those that are based on registers or data buses ...
operating systems
CP/M CP/M, originally standing for Control Program/Monitor and later Control Program for Microcomputers, is a mass-market operating system created in 1974 for Intel 8080/ 85-based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc. Initially ...
and
MP/M MP/M (Multi-Programming Monitor Control Program) is a discontinued multi-user version of the CP/M operating system, created by Digital Research developer Tom Rolander in 1979. It allowed multiple users to connect to a single computer, each us ...
, and the
16-bit 16-bit microcomputers are microcomputers that use 16-bit microprocessors. A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits depends on the integer representation used. With the two mos ...
single-tasking
CP/M-86 CP/M-86 was a version of the CP/M operating system that Digital Research (DR) made for the Intel 8086 and Intel 8088. The system commands are the same as in CP/M-80. Executable files used the relocatable .CMD file format. Digital Research also ...
which evolved from CP/M. When Novell abandoned Multiuser DOS in 1992, the three master value-added resellers (VARs) DataPac Australasia,
Concurrent Controls Multiuser DOS is a real-time multi-user multi-tasking operating system for IBM PC-compatible microcomputers. An evolution of the older Concurrent CP/M-86, Concurrent DOS and Concurrent DOS 386 operating systems, it was originally developed by ...
and
Intelligent Micro Software Multiuser DOS is a real-time multi-user multi-tasking operating system for IBM PC-compatible microcomputers. An evolution of the older Concurrent CP/M-86, Concurrent DOS and Concurrent DOS 386 operating systems, it was originally developed by ...
were allowed to take over and continued independent development into Datapac Multiuser DOS and System Manager, CCI Multiuser DOS, and IMS Multiuser DOS and REAL/32. The FlexOS line, which evolved from Concurrent DOS 286 and Concurrent DOS 68K, was sold off to Integrated Systems, Inc. (ISI) in July 1994.


Concurrent CP/M-86

The initial version of CP/M-86 1.0 (with BDOS 2.x) was adapted and became available to the
IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible de facto standard. Released on August 12, 1981, it was created by a team ...
in 1982. It was commercially unsuccessful as IBM's PC DOS 1.0 offered much the same facilities for a considerably lower price. Neither PC DOS nor CP/M-86 could fully exploit the power and capabilities of the new 16-bit machine. It was soon supplemented by an implementation of CP/M's multitasking 'big brother', MP/M-86 2.0, since September 1981. This turned a PC into a multiuser machine capable of supporting multiple
concurrent user In computer science, the number of concurrent users (sometimes abbreviated CCU) for a resource in a location, with the location being a computing network or a single computer, refers to the total number of people simultaneously accessing or using t ...
s using dumb terminals attached by serial ports. The environment presented to each user made it seem as if they had the entire computer to themselves. Since terminals cost a fraction of the then-substantial price of a complete PC, this offered considerable cost savings, as well as facilitating multi-user applications such as accounts or stock control in a time when PC networks were rare, very expensive and difficult to implement. CP/M-86 1.1 (with
BDOS CP/M, originally standing for Control Program/Monitor and later Control Program for Microcomputers, is a mass-market operating system created in 1974 for Intel 8080/ 85-based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc. Initiall ...
2.2) and MP/M-86 2.1 were merged to create Concurrent CP/M-86 3.0 (also known as CCP/M-86) with BDOS 3.0 in late 1982. Kathryn Strutynski, the project manager for CP/M-86, was also the project manager for Concurrent CP/M-86. One of its designers was Francis "Frank" R. Holsworth. Initially, this was a single-user operating system supporting true multi-tasking of up to four (in its default configuration) CP/M-86 compatible programs. Like its predecessors it could be configured for
multi-processor Multiprocessing is the use of two or more central processing units (CPUs) within a single computer system. The term also refers to the ability of a system to support more than one processor or the ability to allocate tasks between them. There are ...
support (see e.g. Concurrent CP/M-86/80) and also added "virtual screens" letting an operator switch between the interactions of multiple programs. Later versions supported dumb terminals and so could be deployed as multiuser systems. Concurrent CP/M-86 3.1 (BDOS 3.1) shipped on 21 February 1984.


Adaptations


Concurrent CP/M-86 with Windows

In February 1984 Digital Research also offered a version of Concurrent CP/M-86 with windowing capabilities named Concurrent CP/M with Windows for the IBM Personal Computer and Personal Computer XT.


Concurrent CP/M-86/80

This was an adaptation of Concurrent CP/M-86 for the LSI-M4, LSI Octopus and
CAL PC Cal or CAL may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Cal'' (novel), a 1983 novel by Bernard MacLaverty * "Cal" (short story), a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov * ''Cal'' (1984 film), an Irish drama starring John Lynch and Helen Mir ...
computers. These machines had both 16-bit and 8-bit processors, because in the early days of 16-bit personal computing, 8-bit software was more available and often ran faster than the corresponding 16-bit software. Concurrent CP/M-86/80 allowed users to run both CP/M (8-bit) and CP/M-86 (16-bit) applications. When a command was entered, the operating system ran the corresponding application on either the 8-bit or the 16-bit processor, depending on whether the executable file had a
.COM The domain name .com is a top-level domain (TLD) in the Domain Name System (DNS) of the Internet. Added at the beginning of 1985, its name is derived from the word ''commercial'', indicating its original intended purpose for domains registere ...
or .CMD extension. It emulated a CP/M environment for 8-bit programs by translating CP/M system calls into CP/M-86 system calls, which were then executed by the 16-bit processor.


Concurrent DOS

In August 1983, Bruce Skidmore, Raymond D. Pedrizetti, Dave Brown and Gordon Edmonds teamed up to create PC-MODE, an optional module for Concurrent CP/M-86 3.1 (with BDOS 3.1) to provide basic compatibility with PC DOS 1.1 (and
MS-DOS 1.1 MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few oper ...
). This was shown publicly at
COMDEX COMDEX (an abbreviation of COMputer Dealers' EXhibition) was a computer expo trade show held in the Las Vegas Valley of Nevada, United States, each November from 1979 to 2003. It was one of the largest computer trade shows in the world, usually ...
in December 1983 and shipped in March 1984 as Concurrent DOS 3.1 (a.k.a. CDOS with BDOS 3.1) to hardware vendors. Simple DOS applications, which did not directly access the screen or other hardware, could be run. For example, although a console program such as
PKZIP PKZIP is a file archiving computer program, notable for introducing the popular ZIP file format. PKZIP was first introduced for MS-DOS on the IBM-PC compatible platform in 1989. Since then versions have been released for a number of other ...
worked perfectly and offered more facilities than the CP/M-native ARC archiver, applications which performed screen manipulations, such as the WordStar word processor for DOS, would not, and native Concurrent CP/M (or CP/M-86) versions were required. While Concurrent DOS 3.1 up to 4.1 had been developed in the US, OEM adaptations and localizations were carried out by DR Europe's OEM Support Group in Newbury, UK, since 1983. Digital Research positioned Concurrent DOS 4.1 with
GEM A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, an ...
as alternative for IBM's
TopView TopView is the first object-oriented, multitasking, and windowing, personal computer operating environment for PC DOS developed by IBM, announced in August 1984 and shipped in March 1985. TopView provided a text-mode (although it also ran in ...
in 1985.


Concurrent PC DOS

Concurrent DOS 3.2 (with BDOS 3.2) in 1984 was compatible with applications for CP/M-86 1.x, Concurrent CP/M-86 3.x and PC DOS 2.0. It was available for many different hardware platforms. The version with an IBM PC compatible BIOS/XIOS was named Concurrent PC DOS 3.2. Kathryn Strutynski was the product manager for Concurrent PC DOS.


Concurrent DOS 68K and FlexOS 68K

Efforts being part of a cooperation with Motorola since 1984 led to the development of Concurrent DOS 68K in
Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city i ...
, Texas, as a successor to
CP/M-68K CP/M, originally standing for Control Program/Monitor and later Control Program for Microcomputers, is a mass-market operating system created in 1974 for Intel 8080/ 85-based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc. Initiall ...
written in C. One of its main architects was Francis "Frank" R. Holsworth (using siglum FRH). Concurrent DOS 68K 1.0 became available for OEM evaluation in early 1985. The effort received considerable funding worth several million dollars from Motorola and was designed for their
68000 The Motorola 68000 (sometimes shortened to Motorola 68k or m68k and usually pronounced "sixty-eight-thousand") is a 16/32-bit complex instruction set computer (CISC) microprocessor, introduced in 1979 by Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector ...
/
68010 The Motorola MC68010 processor is a 16/32-bit microprocessor from Motorola, released in 1982 as the successor to the Motorola 68000. It fixes several small flaws in the 68000, and adds a few features. The 68010 is pin-compatible with the 68000, ...
processors. Like the earlier
GEMDOS GEM (for Graphics Environment Manager) is an operating environment released by Digital Research (DRI) in 1985 for use with the DOS operating system on Intel 8088 and Motorola 68000 microprocessors. GEM is known primarily as the graphical user ...
system for 68000 processors it initially ran on the Motorola VME/10 development system. Concurrent DOS 68K 1.20/1.21 was available in April 1986, offered for about to OEMs. This system evolved into FlexOS 68K in late 1986. Known versions include: * Concurrent DOS 68K 1.0 (1985) * Concurrent DOS 68K 1.1 * Concurrent DOS 68K 1.20 (April 1986, 1986-05-27) * Concurrent DOS 68K 1.21 (1986)


Concurrent DOS 286 and FlexOS 286

In parallel to the Concurrent DOS 68K effort, Digital Research also previewed Concurrent DOS 286 in cooperation with Intel in January 1985. This was based on MP/M-286 and Concurrent CP/M-286, on which Digital Research had worked on since 1982. Concurrent DOS 286 was a complete rewrite in the C language based on a new system architecture with dynamically loadable device drivers instead of a static BIOS or XIOS. One of its main architects was Francis "Frank" R. Holsworth. The operating system would function strictly in
80286 The Intel 80286 (also marketed as the iAPX 286 and often called Intel 286) is a 16-bit microprocessor that was introduced on February 1, 1982. It was the first 8086-based CPU with separate, non- multiplexed address and data buses and also the ...
native mode, allowing protected mode multi-user, multitasking operation while running 8086 emulation. While this worked on the B-1 step of prototype chip samples, Digital Research, with evaluation copies of their operating system already shipping in April, discovered problems with the emulation on the production level C-1 step of the processor in May, which would not allow Concurrent DOS 286 to run 8086 software in protected mode. The release of Concurrent DOS 286 had been scheduled for late May, but was delayed until Intel could develop a new version of the chip. In August, after extensive testing E-1 step samples of the 80286, Digital Research said that Intel had corrected all documented 286 errata, but that there were still undocumented chip performance problems with the prerelease version of Concurrent DOS 286 running on the E-1 step. Intel said that the approach Digital Research wished to take in emulating 8086 software in protected mode differed from the original specifications; nevertheless they incorporated into the E-2 step minor changes in the
microcode In processor design, microcode (μcode) is a technique that interposes a layer of computer organization between the central processing unit (CPU) hardware and the programmer-visible instruction set architecture of a computer. Microcode is a lay ...
that allowed Digital Research to run emulation mode much faster (see LOADALL). These same limitations affected
FlexOS 286 FlexOS is a discontinued modular real-time multiuser multitasking operating system (RTOS) designed for computer-integrated manufacturing, laboratory, retail and financial markets. Developed by Digital Research's Flexible Automation Business U ...
version 1.x, a reengineered derivation of Concurrent DOS 286, which was developed by Digital Research's new Flexible Automation Business Unit in Monterey, California, since 1986. Later versions added compatibility with PC DOS 2.x and 3.x. Known versions include: * Concurrent DOS 286 1.0 (1985) * Concurrent DOS 286 1.1 (1986-01-07) * Concurrent DOS 286 1.2 (1986) * FlexOS 286 1.3 (November 1986) * FlexOS 286 1.31 (May 1987)


Concurrent DOS XM and Concurrent DOS 386

The OEM Support Group was relocated into Digital Research's newly created European Development Centre (EDC) in Hungerford, UK in 1986, which started to take over further development of the Concurrent DOS family since Concurrent DOS 4.11, including siblings like
DOS Plus DOS Plus (erroneously also known as DOS+) was the first operating system developed by Digital Research's OEM Support Group in Newbury, Berkshire, UK, first released in 1985. DOS Plus 1.0 was based on CP/M-86 Plus combined with the PCMODE e ...
and successors. Developed in Hungerford, UK, versions 5 and 6 (Concurrent DOS XM, with XM standing for
Expanded Memory In DOS memory management, expanded memory is a system of bank switching that provided additional memory to DOS programs beyond the limit of conventional memory (640 KiB). ''Expanded memory'' is an umbrella term for several incompatible techn ...
) could
bank switch Bank switching is a technique used in computer design to increase the amount of usable memory beyond the amount directly addressable by the processor instructions. It can be used to configure a system differently at different times; for example ...
up to 8 MB of
EEMS In DOS memory management, expanded memory is a system of bank switching that provided additional memory to DOS programs beyond the limit of conventional memory (640 KiB). ''Expanded memory'' is an umbrella term for several incompatible tec ...
to provide a real-mode environment to run multiple CP/M-86 and DOS programs concurrently and support up to three users (one local and up to two hooked up via serial terminals). In 1987, Concurrent DOS 86 was rewritten to become Concurrent DOS 386, still a continuation of the classical XIOS & BDOS architecture. This ran on machines equipped with the
Intel 80386 The Intel 386, originally released as 80386 and later renamed i386, is a 32-bit microprocessor introduced in 1985. The first versions had 275,000 transistorsvirtualizing the hardware, allowing most DOS applications to run unmodified under Concurrent DOS 386, even on terminals. The OS supported concurrent multiuser file access, allowing multiuser applications to run as if they were on individual PCs attached to a network server. Concurrent DOS 386 allowed a single server to support a number of users on dumb terminals or inexpensive low-specification PCs running terminal emulation software, without the need for expensive workstations and then-expensive network cards. It was a true multiuser system; several users could use a single database with
record locking Record locking is the technique of preventing simultaneous access to data in a database, to prevent inconsistent results. The classic example is demonstrated by two bank clerks attempting to update the same bank account for two different transacti ...
to prevent mutual interference. Concurrent DOS 6.0 represented also the starting point for the DR DOS family, which was carved out of it. Known versions include: * DR Concurrent PC DOS XM 5.0 (BDOS 5.0) * DR Concurrent DOS XM 5.0 (BDOS 5.0, October 1986) * DR Concurrent DOS XM 5.1 (BDOS 5.1?, January 1987) * DR Concurrent DOS XM 5.2 (BDOS 5.2?, September 1987) * DR Concurrent DOS XM 6.0 (BDOS 6.0, 1987-11-18), 6.01 (1987) * DR Concurrent DOS XM 6.2 (BDOS 6.2), 6.21 ; ; * DR Concurrent DOS 386 1.0 (BDOS 5.0?, 1987) * DR Concurrent DOS 386 1.1 (BDOS 5.2?, September 1987) * DR Concurrent DOS 386 2.0 (BDOS 6.0, 1987-11-18), 2.01 * DR Concurrent DOS 386 3.0 (BDOS 6.2, December 1988, January 1989), 3.01 (1989-05-19), 3.02 (1989) Concurrent PC DOS XM 5.0 emulated IBM PC DOS 2.10, whereas Concurrent DOS XM 6.0 and Concurrent DOS 386 2.0 were compatible with IBM PC DOS 3.30.


Adaptations

Known CCI Concurrent DOS adaptations by Concurrent Controls, Inc. include: * CCI Concurrent DOS 386 1.12 (BDOS 5.0?, October 1987) * CCI Concurrent DOS 386 2.01 (BDOS 6.0?, May 1988) * CCI Concurrent DOS 386 3.01 (BDOS 6.2?, March 1989) * CCI Concurrent DOS 386 3.02 (April 1990) * CCI Concurrent DOS 386 3.03 (March 1991) * CCI Concurrent DOS 386 3.04 (July 1991) aka "CCI Concurrent DOS 4.0" * CCI Concurrent DOS 3.05 R1 (1992-02), R2 (1992), R3+R4 (1992), R5+R6 (1992), R7+R8 (1993), R9+R10 (1993), R11 (August 1993) * CCI Concurrent DOS 3.06 R1 (December 1993), R2+R3 (1994), R4+R5+R6 (1994), R7 (July 1994) * CCI Concurrent DOS 3.07 R1 (March 1995), R2 (1995), R3 (1996), R4 (1996), R5 (1997), R6 (1997), R7 (June 1998) * CCI Concurrent DOS 3.08 * CCI Concurrent DOS 3.10 R1 (2003-10-05) Other adaptations include: *
Apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...
Concurrent DOS 386 2.01 (1987) for Apricot Quad Version Level 4.3


Multiuser DOS

Later versions of Concurrent DOS 386 incorporated some of the enhanced functionality of DR's later single-user PC DOS clone
DR DOS 5.0 DR-DOS (written as DR DOS, without a hyphen, in versions up to and including 6.0) is a disk operating system for IBM PC compatibles. Upon its introduction in 1988, it was the first DOS attempting to be compatible with IBM PC DOS and MS- ...
, after which the product was given the more explanatory name "Multiuser DOS" (a.k.a. MDOS), starting with version 5.0 (with BDOS 6.5) in 1991. Multiuser DOS suffered from several technical limitations that restricted its ability to compete with
LANs Lans or LANS may refer to: Places * Lans, Tyrol, a municipality in Tyrol, Austria * Lake Lans, a lake near Lans, Tyrol France * Lans, Saône-et-Loire * Lans-en-Vercors, a community near Grenoble in the Vercors * Villard-de-Lans, a community an ...
based on PC DOS. It required its own special device drivers for much common hardware, as PC DOS drivers were not multiuser or multi-tasking aware. Driver installation was more complex than the simple PC DOS method of copying the files onto the boot disk and modifying CONFIG.SYS appropriately it was necessary to relink the Multiuser DOS
kernel Kernel may refer to: Computing * Kernel (operating system), the central component of most operating systems * Kernel (image processing), a matrix used for image convolution * Compute kernel, in GPGPU programming * Kernel method, in machine learni ...
(known as a ''nucleus'') using the SYSGEN command. Multiuser DOS was also unable to use many common PC DOS additions such as network stacks, and it was limited in its ability to support later developments in the PC-compatible world, such as
graphics adaptor A graphics card (also called a video card, display card, graphics adapter, VGA card/VGA, video adapter, display adapter, or mistakenly GPU) is an expansion card which generates a feed of output images to a display device, such as a computer moni ...
s,
sound card A sound card (also known as an audio card) is an internal expansion card that provides input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under the control of computer programs. The term ''sound card'' is also applied to external audio i ...
s,
CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains data. Computers can read—but not write or erase—CD-ROMs. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold both compute ...
drives and mice. Although many of these were soon rectified for example, graphical terminals were developed, allowing users to use CGA, EGA and
VGA Video Graphics Array (VGA) is a video display controller and accompanying de facto graphics standard, first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, which became ubiquitous in the PC industry within three years. The term can now ...
software it was less flexible in this regard than a network of individual PCs, and as the prices of these fell, it became less and less competitive, although it still offered benefits in terms of management and lower total cost of ownership. As a multi-user operating system its price was higher than a single-user system, of course, and it required special device drivers, unlike single-user multitasking DOS add-ons such as Quarterdeck's
DESQview DESQview (DV) is a text mode multitasking operating environment developed by Quarterdeck Office Systems which enjoyed modest popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Running on top of DOS, it allows users to run multiple programs concurren ...
. Unlike MP/M, it never became popular for single-user but multitasking use. When Novell acquired Digital Research in 1991 and abandoned Multiuser DOS in 1992, the three Master VARs DataPac Australasia, Concurrent Controls and Intelligent Micro Software were allowed to license the source code of the system to take over and continue independent development of their derivations in 1994. Known versions include: * DR Multiuser DOS 5.00 (1991), 5.01 * Novell DR Multiuser DOS 5.10 (1992-04-13), 5.11 * Novell DR Multiuser DOS 5.13 (BDOS 6.6, 1992) All versions of Digital Research and Novell DR Multiuser DOS reported themselves as "IBM PC DOS" version 3.31.


Adaptations


DataPac Australasia

Known versions by DataPac Australasia Pty Limited include: * Datapac Multiuser DOS 5.0 * Datapac Multiuser DOS 5.1 (BDOS 6.6) * Datapac System Manager 7.0 (1996-08-22) In 1997, Datapac was bought by Citrix Systems, Inc., and System Manager was abandoned soon after. In 2002 the Sydney-based unit was spun out into Citrix' Advanced Products Group.


Concurrent Controls

Known CCI Multiuser DOS versions by Concurrent Controls, Inc. (CCI) include: * CCI Multiuser DOS 7.00 * CCI Multiuser DOS 7.10 * CCI Multiuser DOS 7.21 * CCI Multiuser DOS 7.22 R1 (September 1996), R2 (1996), R3 (1997), R4 GOLD/PLUS/LITE (BDOS 6.6, 1997-02-10), R5 GOLD (1997), R6 GOLD (1997), R7 GOLD (June 1998), R8 GOLD, R9 GOLD, R10 GOLD, R11 GOLD (2000-09-25), R12 GOLD (2002-05-15), R13 GOLD (2002-07-15), R14 GOLD (2002-09-13), R15 GOLD, R16 GOLD (2003-10-10), R17 GOLD (2004-02-09), R18 GOLD (2005-04-21) All versions of CCI Multiuser DOS report themselves as "IBM PC DOS" version 3.31. Similar to SETVER under DOS, this can be changed using the Multiuser DOS utility. In 1999, CCI changed its name to Applica, Inc. In 2002 Applica Technology became Aplycon Technologies, Inc.


Intelligent Micro Software, Itera and Integrated Solutions


=DOS 386 Professional

=


=IMS Multiuser DOS

= Known adaptations of IMS Multiuser DOS include: * IMS Multiuser DOS Enhanced Release 5.1 (1992) * IMS Multiuser DOS 5.11 * IMS Multiuser DOS 5.14 * IMS Multiuser DOS 7.0 * IMS Multiuser DOS 7.1 (BDOS 6.7, 1994) All versions of IMS Multiuser DOS report themselves as "IBM PC DOS" version 3.31.


=REAL/32

= Intelligent Micro Software Ltd. (IMS) of Thatcham, UK, acquired a license to further develop Multiuser DOS from Novell in 1994 and renamed their product REAL/32 in 1995. Similar to FlexOS/ 4690 OS before, IBM in 1995 licensed REAL/32 7.50 to bundle it with their 4695 POS terminals. IMS REAL/32 versions: * IMS REAL/32 7.50 (BDOS 6.8, 1995-07-01), 7.51 (BDOS 6.8), 7.52 (BDOS 6.9), 7.53 (BDOS 6.9, 1996-04-01), 7.54 (BDOS 6.9, 1996-08-01) * IMS REAL/32 7.60 (BDOS 6.9, February 1997), 7.61, 7.62, 7.63 * IMS REAL/32 7.70 (November 1997), 7.71, 7.72, 7.73, 7.74 (1998) * IMS REAL/32 7.80, 7.81 (February 1999), 7.82, 7.83 (BDOS 6.10) * IMS REAL/32 7.90 (1999), 7.91, 7.92 * ITERA IMS REAL/32 7.93 (June 2002), 7.94 (BDOS 6.13, 2003-01-31) * Integrated Solutions IMS REAL/32 7.95 REAL/32 7.50 to 7.74 report themselves as "IBM PC DOS" version 3.31, whereas 7.80 and higher report a version of 6.20. LBA and FAT32 support was added with REAL/32 7.90 in 1999. On 19 April 2002, Intelligent Micro Software Ltd. filed for insolvency and was taken over by one of its major customers, Barry Quittenton's Itera Ltd. This company was dissolved on 2006-03-28. As of 2010 REAL/32 was supplied by Integrated Solutions of Thatcham, UK, but the company, at the same address, was later listed as builders.


=REAL/NG

= REAL/NG was IMS' attempt to create the "Next Generation" of REAL/32, also named "REAL/32 for the internet age". REAL/NG promised "increased range of hardware from PCs to x86 multi-processor server systems". Advertised feature list, as of 2003: * Runs with Red Hat 7.3 or later version of Linux * Backward compatible with DOS and REAL/32 * Max 65535 virtual consoles; each of these can be a user * No Linux expertise required * Administration/setup/upgrade by web browser (local and remote) * Supplied with
TCP/IP The Internet protocol suite, commonly known as TCP/IP, is a framework for organizing the set of communication protocols used in the Internet and similar computer networks according to functional criteria. The foundational protocols in the suit ...
Linux-/Windows-based terminal emulator for the number of users purchased * Print and file sharing built in * Drive mapping between Linux and REAL/NG servers built in * User hardware support * Increased performance * Vastly increased TPA * Multi-processor support * Improved hardware support * Built-in firewall support * Very low cost per seat * Low total cost of ownership * Supplied on CD * Supplied with a set of Red Hat CDs By 10 December 2003, IMS made "REALNG V1.60-V1.19-V1.12" available, which, based on the Internet Archive, seems to be the latest release. By 2005, the realng.com website was mirroring the IMS main website, and had no mention of REAL/NG, only REAL/32.


Application software

While the various releases of this operating system had increasing ability to run DOS programs, software written for the platform could take advantage of its features by using function calls specifically suitable for multiuser operation. It used pre-emptive multitasking, preventing badly-written applications from delaying other processes by retaining control of the processor. To this day, Multiuser DOS is supported by popular SSL/TLS libraries such as wolfSSL. The
API An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how ...
provided support for blocking and non-blocking
message queue In computer science, message queues and mailboxes are software-engineering components typically used for inter-process communication (IPC), or for inter- thread communication within the same process. They use a queue for messaging – the ...
s, mutual-exclusion queues, the ability to create sub-process threads which executed independently from the parent, and a method of pausing execution which did not waste processor cycles, unlike idle loops used by single-user operating systems. Applications were started as "attached" to a
console Console may refer to: Computing and video games * System console, a physical device to operate a computer ** Virtual console, a user interface for multiple computer consoles on one device ** Command-line interface, a method of interacting with ...
. However, if an application did not need user interaction it could "detach" from the console and run as a
background process A background process is a computer process that runs ''behind the scenes'' (i.e., in the background) and without user intervention. Typical tasks for these processes include logging, system monitoring, scheduling, and user notification. The backgr ...
, later reattaching to a console if needed. Another key feature was that the memory management supported a "shared" memory model for processes (in addition to the usual models available to normal DOS programs). In the shared memory model the "code" and "data" sections of a program were isolated from each other. Because the "code" contained no modifiable data, code sections in memory could be shared by several processes running the same program, thereby reducing memory requirements. Programs written, or adapted, for any multitasking platform need to avoid the technique used by single-tasking systems of going into endless loops until interrupted when, for example, waiting for a user to press a key; this wasted processor time that could be used by other processes. Instead, Concurrent DOS provided an API call which a process could call to "sleep" for a period of time. Later versions of the Concurrent DOS kernel included Idle Detection, which monitored
DOS API The DOS API is an API which originated with 86-DOS and is used in MS-DOS/ PC DOS and other DOS-compatible operating systems. Most calls to the DOS API are invoked using software interrupt 21h ( INT 21h). By calling INT 21h with a subfunctio ...
calls to determine whether the application was doing useful work or in fact idle, in which case the process was suspended allowing other processes to run. Idle Detection was the catalyst for the patented DR-DOS Dynamic Idle Detection power management feature invented in 1989 by Roger Alan Gross and John P. Constant and marketed as BatteryMAX.


See also

*
CP/M CP/M, originally standing for Control Program/Monitor and later Control Program for Microcomputers, is a mass-market operating system created in 1974 for Intel 8080/ 85-based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc. Initially ...
*
MP/M MP/M (Multi-Programming Monitor Control Program) is a discontinued multi-user version of the CP/M operating system, created by Digital Research developer Tom Rolander in 1979. It allowed multiple users to connect to a single computer, each us ...
* Concurrent DOS V60 * FlexOS * DR DOS * PC DOS – IBM's OEM version of (single-user) MS-DOS * MS-DOS 4.0 (multitasking) * PC-MOS/386 – unrelated multitasking DOS clone * VM/386 – unrelated multitasking DOS environment * Virtual DOS machine * Multiuser DOS Federation * Timeline of operating systems * List of mergers and acquisitions by Citrix


References


Further reading

*


External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20190401161050/http://www.imsltd.com/ former Intelligent Micro Software (IMS) website (vendors of IMS Multiuser DOS, IMS REAL/32, and REAL/NG) * https://web.archive.org/web/20010515195706/http://www.lii.com/ former Logan Industries (LLI) website (IMS REAL/32 US distributor up to 2002-05-01) * https://web.archive.org/web/20071213140207/http://www.conctrls.com/ former Concurrent Controls website (CCI Multiuser DOS) * https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://applica.com Applica, Inc. website * https://web.archive.org/web/20040412051935/http://www.aplycon.com/ former Aplycon Technologies, Inc. website {{Disk operating systems CP/M variants Disk operating systems DOS variants Real-time operating systems Digital Research operating systems Novell operating systems Microcomputer software Discontinued operating systems Proprietary operating systems