Network Operating Systems

• IBM-PC compatible personal computers are cost-effective.
• Representative OSs for PC
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 1.0 ~ MS-DOS 6.22
    • single-user, uni-tasking, text-based user interface
    • did not take advantage of advanced hardware
  • Microsoft Windows 3.1
    • single-user, (non-preemptive) multi-tasking, graphic user interface
    • GUI around MS-DOS
  • Microsoft Windows 95
    • single-user, (preemptive) multi-tasking, built-in networking capability
    • not truly 32-bit OS for marketing reason.
    • can be used as LAN/Internet server with limited capability
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server/Workstation
    • multi-user, intended to be large-scale file/printer server
    • similar GUI with Win95, but entirely different underlying architecture
  • Novell NetWare 3.12
    • a file/printer server OS works with MS-DOS, MS-Win31
  • IBM OS/2
    • similar to MS-Win95
    • failed at marketing
  • unix
    • multi-user, time-sharing, multi-tasking
    • a OS for workstation and above
    • various commercial ports did not success.
    • free clone of unix
      • Linux
      • FreeBSD (seems more secure but less friendly)
• Our suggestion
  • Personal affair: Win95/Win98
  • Small scale LAN/Internet Server: Win95/Win98
  • Large scale LAN server: WinNT
  • Large scale Internet server: unix (FreeBSD)