Tim Paterson is an American computer programmer best known as the original author of 86-DOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System). This operating system was famously licensed by Microsoft in 1980 and became MS-DOS, the foundational operating system for the IBM PC and its compatibles, catapulting Microsoft to prominence. Working at Seattle Computer Products (SCP) at the time, Paterson developed 86-DOS to run on SCP's S-100 bus 8086-based computer systems, as an alternative to the delayed CP/M-86 from Digital Research. His work, completed in a remarkably short period, laid a critical piece of the groundwork for the personal computing revolution. He later joined Microsoft and contributed to further developments of MS-DOS and other projects.
Tim Paterson's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:
Authored 86-DOS in 1980 while at Seattle Computer Products. This operating system was subsequently licensed by Microsoft, renamed MS-DOS, and became the industry standard for IBM PCs and compatibles, fundamentally shaping early personal computing.
His creation of 86-DOS was a critical component in the launch and subsequent overwhelming success of the IBM PC, which defined the personal computer market for many years.
After joining Microsoft, Paterson was involved in multiple versions of MS-DOS and also contributed to the early development of Visual Basic.
Founded Paterson Technology, a software development and consulting company, through which he continued to contribute to various software projects and offered his expertise.
Dartmouth College - The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth - Year 1997
University of Notre Dame - Year 1992
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