Operating systemAn operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources, and provides common services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also include accounting software for cost allocation of processor time, mass storage, peripherals, and other resources.Business BasicBusiness Basic is a category of variants of the BASIC computer programming language which were specialized for business use on minicomputers in the 1970s and 1980s. To the underlying BASIC language, these dialects added record handling instructions similar to those in COBOL, allowing programmers to build complex file-handling applications using what was at that time a much more modern programming language.
ZilogZilog, Inc, previously stylized as ZiLOG, is an American manufacturer of microprocessors, microcontrollers, and application-specific embedded system-on-chip (SoC) products.The company was founded in 1974 by Federico Faggin and Ralph Ungermann, who were soon joined by Masatoshi Shima. All three had left Intel after working on the 4004 and 8080 microprocessors.
UnixUnix ( , YOO-niks; trademarked as UNIX) is a family of multitasking, multi-user computer operating systems that derive from the original AT&T Unix, the development of which started in 1969 at the Bell Labs research center by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and others.
Santa Cruz OperationThe Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. (usually known as SCO, pronounced either as individual letters or as a word) was an American software company, based in Santa Cruz, California, that was best known for selling three Unix operating system variants for Intel x86 processors: Xenix, SCO UNIX (later known as SCO OpenDesktop and SCO OpenServer), and UnixWare. SCO was founded in 1979 by Larry Michels and his son Doug Michels and began as a consulting and Unix porting company.
C (programming language)C is a general-purpose programming language created in 1972 by Dennis Ritchie. By design, C gives programmers relatively direct access to the features of typical CPU architectures, customized for the target instruction set. It has been and continues to be used to implement operating systems (especially kernels), device drivers, and protocol stacks, though its use in application software is decreasing.
CompilerIn computing, a compiler is software that translates computer code written in one programming language (the source language) into another language (the target language). The name "compiler" is primarily used for programs that translate source code from a high-level programming language to a low-level programming language (e.g., assembly language, object code, or machine code) to create an executable program.
Zilog Z808-bit microprocessorThe Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog, first released in 1976; it played an important role in the evolution of early personal computing. It was designed to be software-compatible with the Intel 8080, offering a compelling alternative due to its better integration and increased performance.
Oakland, CaliforniaOakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat of and the most populous city in Alameda County, California, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the most populous city in the East Bay, the third most populous city in the Bay Area, and the eighth most populous city in California.
BackronymA backronym treats an already existing word as an acronym and expands its letters into the words of a phrase, and so is effectively an acrostic. The word is a portmanteau of back and acronym. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology. A normal acronym is a word derived from the initial letter(s) of the words of a phrase, such as radar from "RAdio Detection And Ranging".
MicrocomputerA microcomputer is a small, relatively inexpensive computer having a central processing unit (CPU) made out of a single integrated circuit microprocessor. The computer also includes memory and input/output (I/O) circuitry together mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). Microcomputers became popular in the 1970s and 1980s with the advent of increasingly powerful microprocessors such as the MOS Technology 6502, Zilog Z80, and Intel 8088.
IBM Personal Computer ATThe IBM Personal Computer AT (model 5170, abbreviated as IBM AT or PC/AT) was released in August 1984 as the fourth model in the IBM Personal Computer line, following the IBM PC XT and its IBM Portable PC variant. It is based on the 16-bit Intel 80286microprocessor; the three earlier systems are all Intel 8088-based. The system sold for approximately US$6,000 (equivalent to $19,400 in 2025).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.