# 86-DOS > early version of Seattle Computer Products 86-DOS, which later evolved into MS-DOS **Wikidata**: [Q1550345](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1550345) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/86-DOS) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/86-dos ## Summary 86-DOS is an early version of the Seattle Computer Products operating system 86-DOS, published in 1980 and later evolved into MS-DOS. It was developed by Tim Paterson at Seattle Computer Products to run on 16-bit Intel 8086-class hardware. ## Key Facts - 86-DOS is an early version of the Seattle Computer Products 86-DOS operating system and later evolved into MS-DOS. - Instance of: operating system (Wikidata: ). - Inception / publication date: 1980. - Version listed: 1.10. - Developed by Tim Paterson (American computer programmer; birth date 1956-06-01) and Seattle Computer Products (inception +1979-00-00T00:00:00Z; country: Q30; headquarters: ; industry: ). - Programming language: assembly language (reference ). - Runs on / requires: Intel 8086 (16-bit CPU) and DOS family (runs on DOS-class platforms). - Part of / parent relationships: DOS (class of PC-compatible operating systems; inception 1981) and COMMAND.COM (default command-line interpreter used by DOS family). - Classified as proprietary software (class provided in related data). - Aliases: QDOS, Quick and Dirty Operating System, 86-DOS, Q-DOS. - Logo URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/86-DOS_logo.svg. - Image (screenshot) URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/86-DOS_running_assembler_and_HEX2BIN_(screenshot).png. - Platform identifier: (as provided in structured properties). - Part_of_series: referenced (see structured property references). - Freebase ID: /m/01b5xs. - Wikidata description: "early version of Seattle Computer Products 86-DOS, which later evolved into MS-DOS." - Wikipedia title: 86-DOS. - Wikipedia languages available (sitelinks): be_x_old, ca, commons, cs, de, en, es, fa, fi, fr, gl, hr, io, it, ja, ko, nl, pl, pt, ru, sl, sv, tr, uk, zh. - Sitelink count: 25. - Preceded / succeeded relationship: IBM PC DOS (inception 1981-08-00) is listed among related predecessor/successor entries. ## FAQs Q: What is 86-DOS and when was it published? A: 86-DOS is an early version of the Seattle Computer Products 86-DOS operating system; it was published in 1980. Q: Who developed 86-DOS? A: 86-DOS was developed by Tim Paterson and Seattle Computer Products. Tim Paterson is an American computer programmer (birth date 1956-06-01). Seattle Computer Products has inception recorded as +1979-00-00T00:00:00Z and is associated with identifiers country: Q30 and headquarters: . Q: On which hardware and platforms does 86-DOS run? A: 86-DOS runs on Intel 8086-class 16-bit CPUs and is associated with DOS-class platforms (platform identifier ). Q: What programming language was used for 86-DOS? A: 86-DOS was programmed in assembly language (reference ). Q: How is 86-DOS classified and licensed? A: 86-DOS is an operating system (instance ) and is listed alongside proprietary software in the provided related classifications. Q: What is the relationship between 86-DOS and MS-DOS or IBM PC DOS? A: 86-DOS is described as an early version of the Seattle Computer Products 86-DOS that later evolved into MS-DOS; IBM PC DOS (inception 1981-08) appears in the related predecessor/successor listings. Q: Where can I find visual assets or identifiers for 86-DOS? A: A logo and a screenshot image are provided via the Wikimedia Commons URLs in the structured properties; the Freebase ID is /m/01b5xs. ## Why It Matters 86-DOS matters because it represents an early, concrete implementation in the lineage of PC-compatible disk operating systems that became central to personal computing. As an early version of Seattle Computer Products' 86-DOS, it was engineered to run on Intel 8086-class 16-bit hardware and was implemented in assembly language, reflecting the low-level constraints and performance priorities of early microcomputer software. Its evolution into MS-DOS places 86-DOS at a pivotal point in the formation of the DOS family, which served as the foundation for vast numbers of PC applications and user environments. As a proprietary operating system developed by a small hardware vendor and a single lead programmer, 86-DOS exemplifies how vendor-specific systems were adapted and standardized in the early 1980s to produce the widely adopted DOS ecosystem. ## Notable For - Being the early version of Seattle Computer Products' 86-DOS that later evolved into MS-DOS. - Developed by Tim Paterson, an identified American programmer (birth date 1956-06-01). - Designed to run on Intel 8086 16-bit CPUs. - Implementation in assembly language, reflecting low-level system programming practices of the era. - Versioning: at least one recorded version number is 1.10. - Classified within the DOS family and linked with COMMAND.COM as part of its parent/part relationships. - Published/incepted in 1980 and associated with Seattle Computer Products (inception circa 1979). - Represented in multiple Wikimedia pages (logo and screenshot) and listed across many language editions of Wikipedia (25 sitelinks). ## Body ### History - 86-DOS is recorded as an early version of Seattle Computer Products' 86-DOS and was published in 1980. - The project is credited to Tim Paterson and Seattle Computer Products. Tim Paterson is identified as an American computer programmer with birth date 1956-06-01. - Seattle Computer Products has inception data recorded (+1979-00-00T00:00:00Z) and related organizational identifiers: country Q30, headquarters , industry . ### Development and Creators - Lead developer: Tim Paterson (programmer; citizenship United States). - Corporate developer: Seattle Computer Products (organization with sitelink_count: 13). - The developer pairing ties a single lead programmer to a small hardware/software vendor typical of early microcomputer software development. ### Technical characteristics - Instance of an operating system. - Programming language: assembly language (reference ), indicating a low-level implementation with close correspondence to machine instructions. - Versioning: at least version 1.10 is recorded in the structured properties. - Platform identifier listed as in structured properties; the system is documented to run on Intel 8086 16-bit CPUs. ### Platform and compatibility - CPU target: Intel 8086 (16-bit central processing unit). - Family: Part of the DOS class of PC-compatible operating systems (DOS; inception 1981). - Parent components: COMMAND.COM is listed among part-of/parent relationships and is the default command-line interpreter associated with DOS-family systems. ### Classification and licensing - Classified as an operating system in the provided data. - Appears alongside the proprietary software class in the related entries, indicating restricted-use licensing in the structured context. ### Versions, release, and identifiers - Publication/inception year: 1980. - Documented version: 1.10. - Freebase identifier: /m/01b5xs. - Logo and image assets: Wikimedia Commons logo URL and screenshot URL are supplied in structured properties. - Sitelink count for the main entity: 25; Wikipedia title: "86-DOS"; language editions listed across many languages. ### Relationships and lineage - Preceded/succeeded entries include IBM PC DOS (inception 1981-08-00), indicating placement in the chronology of PC DOS variants. - Described as an early version of Seattle Computer Products 86-DOS that later evolved into MS-DOS, linking it directly to the emergence of the MS-DOS/PC-DOS family. - Part of the broader DOS family, with COMMAND.COM noted as a related component; this situates 86-DOS within the core user-model and command-interpreter structure of DOS systems. ### Media and external identifiers - Logo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/86-DOS_logo.svg. - Screenshot image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/86-DOS_running_assembler_and_HEX2BIN_(screenshot).png. - Freebase ID: /m/01b5xs. - Wikidata sitelink_count: 25 and multiple Wikipedia language editions listed explicitly. ### Related classes and context - Related classes provided in source material include: operating system, proprietary software, and assembly language. - The presence of these classes indicates 86-DOS's role as a low-level, vendor-distributed operating system within the prepackaged/proprietary software market of the time. ### Additional structured metadata - Instance_of: (operating system). - Part_of_series: references provided in structured properties. - Publication_date: 1980. - Sitelink and language coverage: enumerated language list and sitelink_count: 25. ## References 1. [Source](http://www.patersontech.com/dos/softalk.aspx)