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Scott Hanselman 👸🏽🐝🌮onMastodon10h ago
The earliest DOS source code was found on printer paper in Tim Paterson's garage so we've open sourced it on 86-DOS 1.00’s 45th anniversary! This is next-level software archaeology for preservation, and plain ol’ curiosity. #DOS #RetroComputing
https://opensource.microsoft.com/blog/2026/04/28/continuing-the-story-of-early-dos-development
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Accuracy92%
Framing95%
Context85%
Tone93%
Analysis Summary
Microsoft open-sourced 86-DOS 1.00 — the earliest DOS operating system code ever recovered — discovered on printer paper in original developer Tim Paterson's garage, on the system's 45th anniversary. This continues Microsoft's practice of releasing historical DOS versions publicly (2018, 2024, now 2026), preserving computing history for researchers and enthusiasts. The gesture is significant because it provides a window into how the original PC operating system was built before DOS became ubiquitous and eventually dominated personal computing for decades.
Claims Analysis (3)
“The earliest DOS source code was found on printer paper in Tim Paterson's garage”
Microsoft's official blog confirms discovery of earliest DOS source code on 86-DOS 1.00's 45th anniversary (April 28, 2026). Historical context aligns with Tim Paterson's role as original DOS developer.
“Microsoft open sourced it on 86-DOS 1.00's 45th anniversary”
Confirmed by Microsoft Open Source Blog dated April 28, 2026. Multiple independent sources (ZDNET, XDA-Developers) corroborate the release date and milestone.
“This continues Microsoft's tradition of open sourcing early DOS versions”
Microsoft blog explicitly states: 'In 2018 we (re)-open-sourced MS-DOS 1.25 and 2.11, and more recently in 2024 we were able to make the source for MS-DOS 4.0 available.' This is a documented pattern.
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