From: "Campbell, Rolf [SKY:1U32:EXCH]" <cp1v45 AT americasm01 DOT nt DOT com>
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: **MAKING OS**
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 10:37:50 -0400
Organization: Nortel Networks
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To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
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Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com

Mark & Candice White wrote:

> >     But, doesn't DOS use BIOS routines to read from the keyboard (when it could very
> > easily hook the interrupt).  Doesn't it also use BIOS routines to do various tasks
> > like changing screen-modes and reading/writing from a hard-drive?  Could it then be
> > said that DOS isn't an OS because it calls BIOS service routines?
> >      -Rolf Campbell (39)3-6318
>
> I have read some good arguments the MSDOS is not an os because it doesn't have
> a kernel, but a PCs BIOS is not an os in anyone's book, its just a api/lib, it manages
> no resources.

    It does manager resources, it manages video resources and the keyboard.  What is
really meant by 'managing resources'?  DOS is just a set of api/libs.  All it does is map
these lib functions to interrupts and ... there you go.  If you say that DOS is an
operating system because it manages a file-system, then you could say the same thing
about Win9x (it uses LFN's).  I don't understand the difference between DOS on BIOS &
Win9x on DOS.  All 3 of them can launch programs.


     -Rolf Campbell (39)3-6318