en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOS
1 correction found
The FreeDOS project began on 26 June 1994, when Microsoft announced it would no longer sell or support MS-DOS.
FreeDOS’s own history says the project officially started on June 29, 1994, not June 26, and describes the trigger as Microsoft saying a future Windows would replace DOS—not a same-day announcement ending MS-DOS sales or support.
Full reasoning
FreeDOS’s official history does not give June 26, 1994 as the project’s start date. On the FreeDOS project’s About page, the project says that when Microsoft announced in 1994 that the next version of Windows would replace DOS, Jim Hall started the effort that became FreeDOS. It does not say Microsoft announced that day that it would stop selling or supporting MS-DOS.
FreeDOS’s own interview with founder Jim Hall is more specific: Hall says, “On June 29, 1994, I announced the ‘PD-DOS’ project to write our own DOS.” In the same interview, Hall explains the motivation as hearing that Microsoft planned to “do away” with MS-DOS because the next Windows would eliminate DOS.
So the article’s sentence is inaccurate in two ways:
- Date: the official start/announcement date given by FreeDOS is June 29, 1994, not June 26.
- Cause as stated: FreeDOS’s own accounts describe the catalyst as Microsoft planning for Windows to replace DOS, not a same-day announcement that Microsoft would no longer sell or support MS-DOS.
2 sources
- The FreeDOS Project
Jim Hall started FreeDOS while an undergraduate. He wasn't a fan of Windows 3.x, and when Microsoft announced in 1994 that the next version of Windows would replace DOS entirely, Jim announced a new development effort to create an open source version of DOS.
- FreeDOS Books — An interview with FreeDOS founder Jim Hall
In 1994, I heard that Microsoft planned to "do away" with MS-DOS. The next version of Windows would eliminate DOS. ... On June 29, 1994, I announced the "PD-DOS" project to write our own DOS.