computer science

Timeline of operating systems

Timeline of operating systems is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Timeline of operating systems rather than just read about it. In short: This article provides a brief timeline for the evolution of operating systems. For a narrative explaining the overall developments, see the History of operating systems. 1940s 1949 EDSAC was an early computer developed by Maurice Wilkes and manufactured by the University of Cambridge 1950s 1951 LEO I 'Lyons Electronic Office' was the commercial development of EDSAC computing platform, supported by British firm J.

Key takeaways

Timeline of operating systems belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Timeline of operating systems to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Timeline of operating systems from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

This article provides a brief timeline for the evolution of operating systems. For a narrative explaining the overall developments, see the History of operating systems.

1940s 1949 EDSAC was an early computer developed by Maurice Wilkes and manufactured by the University of Cambridge

1950s 1951 LEO I 'Lyons Electronic Office' was the commercial development of EDSAC computing platform, supported by British firm J. Lyons and Co. 1953 DYSEAC - an early machine capable of distributing computing 1955 General Motors Operating System made for IBM 701 MIT's Tape Director operating system made for UNIVAC 1103 1956 GM-NAA I/O for IBM 704, based on General Motors Operating System 1957 Atlas Supervisor (Manchester University) (Atlas computer project start) BESYS (Bell Labs), for IBM 704, later IBM 7090 and IBM 7094 1958 EDSAC 2 University of Michigan Executive System (UMES), for IBM 704, 709, and 7090 1959 SHARE Operating System (SOS), based on GM-NAA I/O

1960s 1960 IBSYS (IBM for its 7090 and 7094) 1961 CTSS demonstration (MIT's Compatible Time-Sharing System for the IBM 7094) MCP (Burroughs Master Control Program) for B5000 1962 Atlas Supervisor (Manchester University) (Atlas computer commissioned) BBN Time-Sharing System GCOS (GE's General Comprehensive Operating System, originally GECOS, General Electric Comprehensive Operating Supervisor) 1963 ADMIRAL AN/FSQ-32, another early time-sharing system begun CTSS becomes operational (MIT's Compatible Time-Sharing System for the IBM 7094) JOSS, an interactive time-shared system that did not distinguish between operating system and language Titan Supervisor, early time-sharing system begun 1964 Berkeley Timesharing System (for Scientific Data Systems' SDS 940) Chippewa Operating System (for CDC 6600 supercomputer) Dartmouth Time-Sharing System (Dartmouth College's DTSS for GE computers) EXEC 8 (UNIVAC) KDF9 Timesharing Director (English Electric) – an early, fully hardware secured, fully pre-emptive process switching, multi-programming operating system for KDF9 (originally announced in 1960) OS/360 (IBM's primary OS for its S/360 series) (announced) PDP-6 Monitor (DEC) descendant renamed TOPS-10 in 1970 SCOPE (CDC 3000 series) TOPS-1 1965 BOS/360 (IBM's Basic Operating System) DECsys TOS/360 (IBM's Tape Operating System) Livermore Time Sharing System (LTSS) Multics (MIT, GE, Bell Labs for the GE-645) (announced) Pick operating system SIPROS 66 (Simultaneous Processing Operating System) THE multiprogramming system (Technische Hogeschool Eindhoven) development TSOS (later VMOS) (RCA) 1966 Apollo Guidance Computer (AGC) DOS/360 (IBM's Disk Operating System) GEORGE 1 & 2 for ICT 1900 series Mod 1 Mod 2 Mod 8 MS/8 (Richard F. Lary's DEC PDP-8 system) MSOS (Mass Storage Operating System) OS/360 (IBM's primary OS for its S/360 series) PCP and MFT (shipped) RAX Remote Users of Shared Hardware (RUSH), a time-sharing system developed by Allen-Babcock for the IBM 360/50 SODA for Elwro's Odra 1204 Universal Time-Sharing System (XDS Sigma series) 1967 CP-40, predecessor to CP-67 on modified IBM System/360 Model 40 CP-67 (IBM, also known as CP/CMS) Conversational Programming System (CPS), an IBM time-sharing system under OS/360 Michigan Terminal System (MTS) (time-sharing system for the IBM S/360-67 and successors) ITS (MIT's Incompatible Timesharing System for the DEC PDP-6 and PDP-10) OS/360 MVT ORVYL (Stanford University's time-sharing system for the IBM S/360-67) TSS/360 (IBM's Time-sharing System for the S/360-67, never officially released, canceled in 1969 and again in 1971) WAITS (SAIL, Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, time-sharing system for DEC PDP-6 and PDP-10, later TOPS-10) 1968 Airline Control Program (ACP) (IBM) B1 (NCR Century series) CALL/360, an IBM time-sharing system for System/360 HP Real-Time Executive (HP RTE) – Hewlett-Packard HP Time-Shared BASIC (HP TSB) – Hewlett-Packard (time-sharing system for the HP 2000) THE multiprogramming system (Eindhoven University of Technology) publication TSS/8 (DEC for the PDP-8) VP/CSS 1969 B2 (NCR Century series) B3 (NCR Century series) GEORGE 3 For ICL 1900 series MINIMOP Multics (MIT, GE, Bell Labs for the GE-645 and later the Honeywell 6180) (opened for paying customers in October) RC 4000 Multiprogramming System (RC) TENEX (Bolt, Beranek and Newman for DEC systems, later TOPS-20) Unix Xerox Operating System

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Timeline of operating systems

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Timeline of operating systems claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Timeline of operating systems before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Timeline of operating systems ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Timeline of operating systems

In research: Timeline of operating systems appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Timeline of operating systems in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Timeline of operating systems is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computing timelines, Embedded operating systems, Operating systems, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Timeline of operating systems outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Timeline of operating systems in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Timeline of operating systems means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Timeline of operating systems out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Timeline of operating systems in simple terms?

This article provides a brief timeline for the evolution of operating systems. For a narrative explaining the overall developments, see the History of operating systems. 1940s 1949 EDSAC was an early computer developed by Maurice Wilkes and manufactured by the University of Cambridge 1950s 1951 LEO…

Why does Timeline of operating systems matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Timeline of operating systems?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Timeline of operating systems.