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Microsoft open-sources 45-year-old 86-DOS and PC-DOS source code

Microsoft has released the source code for 86-DOS 1.00 and early versions of PC-DOS 1.00, making historical operating system code available to the public. This release includes the 86-DOS kernel, development snapshots of PC-DOS, and utilities like CHKDSK, along with the assembler itself. The code was transcribed from printouts and notes found in Tim Paterson's garage, offering a unique glimpse into software development practices from the late 1970s and early 1980s. AI

RANK_REASON Release of historical source code from a major tech company.

Read on The Register — AI →

AI-generated summary · Google Gemini · from 5 sources. How we write summaries →

Microsoft open-sources 45-year-old 86-DOS and PC-DOS source code

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Release of historical source code from a major tech company.
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COVERAGE [5]

  1. Tom's Hardware TIER_1 English(EN) · Mark Tyson ·

    45 years later, earliest DOS source code transcribed from a stack of old printouts found in a garage — code was open-sourced to mark 86-DOS 1.00’s anniversary

    Microsoft continues to make some of the earliest chapters of its operating system history open-source and freely available. Here's 86-DOS 1.00, released on its 45th anniversary, for example.

  2. The Register — AI TIER_1 English(EN) · Richard Speed ·

    Microsoft opens door to the past by releasing 86-DOS and PC-DOS 1.00

    <h4>Back to a time when source repositories were printouts and commits were hand-written notes</h4> <p><strong>Antiques code show</strong> Microsoft has released the source for another of its relics. This time, it's 86-DOS 1.00 getting the open source treatment, and a whole lot m…

  3. Mastodon — fosstodon.org TIER_1 English(EN) · [email protected] ·

    El lado del mal - Bug Hunting and Vibe-Exploiting en 86-DOS "High-performance operating system for the 8086" version 1.00 del 04/28/81 https://www. elladodelmal

    El lado del mal - Bug Hunting and Vibe-Exploiting en 86-DOS "High-performance operating system for the 8086" version 1.00 del 04/28/81 https://www. elladodelmal.com/2026/04/bug-h unting-and-vibe-exploiting-en-86.html # MSDOS # ASM # Bug # Exploit # Microsoft # IA # AI # Gemini # …

  4. Mastodon — mastodon.social TIER_1 English(EN) · [email protected] ·

    45 years later, earliest DOS source code transcribed from a stack of old printouts found in a garage — code was open-sourced to mark 86… Microsoft continues to

    45 years later, earliest DOS source code transcribed from a stack of old printouts found in a garage — code was open-sourced to mark 86… Microsoft continues to make some of the earliest chapters of its operating system history open-source and freely available. Here's 86-DOS 1.00,…

  5. Mastodon — mastodon.social TIER_1 English(EN) · [email protected] ·

    🐧 More retro goodies - Microsoft open sources 86-DOS and PC-DOS Following on from officially open sourcing MS-DOS 4.0 back in 2024, Microsoft have announced mor

    🐧 More retro goodies - Microsoft open sources 86-DOS and PC-DOS Following on from officially open sourcing MS-DOS 4.0 back in 2024, Microsoft have announced more early DOS code has been made available.Read the full article on GamingOnLinux. 📰 Source: GamingOnLinux Latest Articles…