Operating environment

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
<h3>DOS operating environments</h3>
<p>In the mid 1980s, <a href="/facts/Text-based_user_interface/bngNtqIY">text-based</a> and <a href="/facts/Graphical_user_interface/wBlQFWDP">graphical</a> user interface operating environments such as <a href="/facts/IBM_TopView/GSpqan11">IBM TopView</a>, <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Microsoft Windows</a>, <a href="/facts/Digital_Research/9bYQl2pI">Digital Research</a>'s <a href="/facts/GEM_Desktop/oE8BpWAq">GEM Desktop</a>, <a href="/facts/GEOS_(16-bit_operating_system)/yATJH8Fc">GEOS</a> and <a href="/facts/Quarterdeck_Office_Systems/JAAGd03R">Quarterdeck Office Systems</a>'s <a href="/facts/DESQview/KjDXlT4v">DESQview</a> surrounded <a href="/facts/DOS/sWwDXNmX">DOS</a> operating systems with a <a href="/facts/Shell_(computing)/Sa67elS7">shell</a> that turned the user's <a href="/facts/Computer_monitor/NRaTDFHc">display</a> into a <a href="/facts/Menu_(computing)/zdKCgPGq">menu</a>-oriented "<a href="/facts/Desktop_metaphor/kWQQNlxu">desktop</a>" for selecting and running <a href="/facts/IBM_PC_compatible/zGUpl7Sh">PC</a> applications. These programs were more than simple menu systems—as alternate operating environments they were substitutes for integrated programs such as <a href="/facts/Framework_(office_suite)/ItzSr6H3">Framework</a> and <a href="/facts/Lotus_Symphony_(DOS)/mzQ0mh3u">Symphony</a>, that allowed <a href="/facts/Context_switch/N0oJQ6CC">switching</a>, <a href="/facts/Windowing_system/nKYmkjP6">windowing</a>, and <a href="/facts/Cut-and-paste/eksLoJ9M">cut-and-paste</a> operations among dedicated applications. These operating environment systems gave users much of the convenience of <a href="/facts/Integrated_software/hnk2V4aF">integrated software</a> without locking them into a single package. Alternative operating environments made <a href="/facts/Terminate-and-stay-resident/6croHFxf">terminate-and-stay-resident</a> pop-up utilities such as <a href="/facts/Borland_Sidekick/3nsakole">Borland Sidekick</a> redundant. Windows provided its own version of these utilities, and placing them under central control could eliminate memory conflicts that <a href="/facts/RAM/DuD4bxh6">RAM</a>-resident utilities create.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a>  In later versions, Windows evolved from an operating environment into a complete operating system with DOS as a bootloader (<a href="/facts/Windows_9x/f1zwlghw">Windows 9x</a>) and a complete operating system, <a href="/facts/Windows_NT/EtccWvxQ">Windows NT</a>, was developed at the same time. All versions after <a href="/facts/Windows_ME/fjENFRNa">Windows ME</a> have been based on the Windows NT kernel.
</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Desktop_environment/VXBpMWnG">Desktop environment</a>, the graphical user interface to the computer</li>
<li><a href="/facts/File_manager/t7CSQ40a">File manager</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Integrated_environment/VjrMgygY">Integrated environment</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Integrated_development_environment/jbEINSQf">Integrated development environment</a>, a type of computer software that assists computer programmers in developing software</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Runtime_environment/YmCuC4xP">Runtime environment</a>, a virtual machine state which provides software services for processes or programs while a computer is running</li>
<li><a href="/facts/X_Window_System/ac2vRIQL">X Window System</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"Operating in a New Environment". PC Magazine. February 25, 1986. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=UFvuOLZA2D0C&pg=PA108" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=UFvuOLZA2D0C&pg=PA108</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Operating environment open-in-new

Operating environment