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About Microsoft
XENIX
MS-DOS 1.x - 3.x
Windows 1.0 - 2.x
MS-DOS
4.0
Windows 3.x
MS-DOS 5.0 - 6.x
Windows NT 3.x
Windows 95
Windows NT 4.0
Windows CE 1.0 - 3.0
Windows 98 & 98 SE
Windows 2000
Windows ME
Windows XP |
In 1988, MS-DOS 4.0 introduced extended
memory (it can access more than 1024 KB of RAM), raised the hard drive
size limit to 2 GB (gigabytes) and provided a limited graphical shell
with mouse support. It contains many bugs that were fixed in version
4.01.29
Extended memory was an important step in the advancement of DOS, because
it allowed programmers to write larger, more complex programs that would
take advantage of the memory above 1024 KB. Some computer professionals
believe this was also the point where many programmers began to work
with the conception that if there is more memory available, they should
take advantage of it. Previously, programmers tried to make their
programs as small as possible, to conserve the limited disk space and
memory that most computers had at the time. To do this, they had to work
to make the code as efficient as possible. However, when memory and hard
drive space became less expensive and more plentiful, programmers began
to write software without making the extra effort to optimize the code,
resulting in programs that take up more memory and disk space.
   
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