DOS was originally written with what?? Please help by bumping

I have a pseudo homework project due in the morning. I've only done a mild Google search with not much result. Basically we were discussing the origins of DOS awhile back in my A+ class and I asked "What did the guy who wrote DOS write DOS with?".

So now I probe the great minds of AT. Someone here must know. If you can tell me, I'll be very gratefull (and give credit where it's due). Also, any links would be helpful as well.

Another question I asked, and got assigned to check out is, "Why do they call them Cookies"?

Thanks in advance to all who can help!

 

[TallBill]

it was made out of clay

 

[Ns1]

1's and 0's?

 

[XZeroII]

Assembly...duh. The bootloader was assembly (has to be). The kernel was either assembly or C. There was nothing else around that would be suited for an OS at the time.

 

[singh]

I think it was written in 100% assembly. I really doubt they used much, if any, C.

 

I like the clay theory, tis' sound indeed!

As for "assembly", I'm not aware of what that is. A programing app I am assuming (pardon my ignorance).

 

[guyver01]

The "Microsoft Disk Operating System" or MS-DOS was based on QDOS, the "Quick and Dirty Operating System" written by Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products, for their prototype Intel 8086 based computer.

QDOS was based on CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputers), written by Gary Kildall of Digital Research. Paterson had bought a CP/M manual and used it as the basis to write his operating system in six weeks, QDOS was different enough from CP/M to be considered legal.

 

[Heisenberg]

Assembly is a low level programming method. Some where in-between machine code and high-level languaes like C.

 

[milagro]

assembly = machine language = 1'sies and 0'ies

 

[WombatWoman]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson

Another question I asked, and got assigned to check out is, "Why do they call them Cookies"?

I believe the origin of "cookies" is related to a simple and harmless program called "Cookie Monster." (This was in the early years of personal computers, before viruses, so the "Cookie Monster," which was not self-replicating, was usually installed on your computer as a prank by a friend or colleague.)

A PC that was inhabited by "Cookie Monster" would periodically flash a message onscreen that said "ME WANT COOKIE." The message would go away by itself, but it would keep returning more and more frequently, pestering the user until the word "cookie" was typed in, and then the program self-destructed.

 

The "Microsoft Disk Operating System" or MS-DOS was based on QDOS, the "Quick and Dirty Operating System" written by Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products, for their prototype Intel 8086 based computer.

QDOS was based on Gary Kildall's CP/M, Paterson had bought a CP/M manual and used it as the basis to write his operating system in six weeks, QDOS was different enough from CP/M to be considered legal.

I got that much with my mild google search, but thanks for putting it in order like that, that helps.

 

[XZeroII]

Assembly code is translated into 1's and 0's directly. One statement in assembly equals one set of 1's and 0's. It's the closest you can get to 0's and 1's. When C and C++ compile, it is turned into Assembly first.

 

[eLiTeGoodGuy]

Originally posted by: WombatWoman

Originally posted by: MisterJackson

Another question I asked, and got assigned to check out is, "Why do they call them Cookies"?

I believe the origin of "cookies" is related to a simple and harmless program called "Cookie Monster." (This was in the early years of personal computers, before viruses, so the "Cookie Monster," which was not self-replicating, was usually installed on your computer as a prank by a friend or colleague.)

A PC that was inhabited by "Cookie Monster" would periodically flash a message onscreen that said "ME WANT COOKIE." The message would go away by itself, but it would keep returning more and more frequently, pestering the user until the word "cookie" was typed in, and then the program self-destructed.

And I thought that when The Plague said "Type cookie you idiot" in Hackers it was just another of the random things they made up for the movie. Wow, I remember picking out a bunch of easter eggs from the movie, now there's one more I can pick up on when I see the movie next

 

[notfred]

an assembler writes machine code.

Assembly is a programming langage (different for each processor)

Basically, you write out each command that the computer does, in order. it looks kinda like this:

add register1 register2 register3 # adds the values of register 1 nad 2 and stores in register 3
jump 0x001 # jump to the isntruction at address 0x001
load register1 1x1234 # loads the value at memory address 1x1234 into regsiter1

etc....

 

So is "Basic" considered a form of "Assembly"?

 

[hans007]

it was written in asm, well the micro kernel and boot loader.


thinks like, format, fdisk, edit, etc, are not part of the OS, and are user apps. so those were probably in C.

command.com is probably all ASM or inline ASM with C and a ASM boot loader for the boot sector. If you look at the linux source code, its the same way, inline ASM and C

 

[notfred]

oh, and about cookies:

The name cookie derives from UNIX objects called magic cookies. These are tokens that are attached to a user or program and change depending on the areas entered by the user or program.

 

[XZeroII]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
So is "Basic" considered a form of "Assembly"?

lol, far from it. Here is some Assembly code for the x86 processor (what you are most likely using now)

mov ax, 10
add ax, 5
mov cx, 5
BeginLoop:
inc ax
loop BeginLoop
jnz quit
mov dx, offset String
quit:

Just a sample to blow your mind

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
So is "Basic" considered a form of "Assembly"?

No, completely different thing.

 

keep em' comin guys. Love the info. I'll just print this in the morn, I have to give a presentation (just 5 minutes). Anyone care to write me a speech?

 

[notfred]

What class is this for? And no I wont write you a speech.

 

[XZeroII]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
keep em' comin guys. Love the info. I'll just print this in the morn, I have to give a presentation (just 5 minutes). Anyone care to write me a speech?

Make sure to put this in the beginning:
"D is for Disk. A disk is a magnetic storage medium that contains info translated into 0's and 1's by the computer. O is for Operating. This is important because the whole purpose of DOS is to provide control to the use to "Operate" the computer on many different levels. S is for System. The word Systemr refers directly to your computer. When you put all the definintions together, you have an core application that will utilize magnetic storage mediums to give the use the power to 'Operate' the 'System'."

Man, to be back in high school again. I miss those days.

PS. Don't forget to tell them all how to pronounce it correctly. Sounds like Dog, but switch the 'g' with a 's'.

 

What class is this for? And no I wont write you a speech.

It's just for A+, and definetly outside the scope of the class, but I wanted to know, and my instructor asked me to find out. BTW I was just kidding about the speech writing thing.......

 

[notfred]

Why are you getting A+ certified?

 

I'm getting A+, then Network+ certified. These are prerequisites to go forward with my MCSE certification at the school I attend. Why do you ask, if you don't mind me asking?