TOS

operating system /toss/

1. IBM's Tape Operating System.

2. The operating system of the Atari ST range of

computers. This range included the 512ST, 1040ST and the F,

FM and E variations (e.g.1040STE). Later, 32-bit machines

(TT, Falcon030 and MegaSTE) were developed using a new version

of TOS, called MultiTOS which was based on MinT.

TOS went through several revisions starting initially as a

derivative of CP/M, but developing into a remarkably

complete and flexible operating system. Features include: a

flat memory model, MS-DOS-compatible disk format and

support for MIDI and SCSI (in later versions). TOS was

designed to run Atari's version of the GEM GUI.

There is some argument as to what TOS stands for, the main

candidates being "Tramiel Operating System" (named after

Atari's head at the time) or simply "The Operating System".

3. networking Terms Of Service.

4. Star Trek The Original Series as opposed to ST-TNG or

ST-DS9.

(1999-04-02)