A Look Back at Microsoft Xenix



A UNIX Version Developed by Microsoft

Xenix is a version of the UNIX operating system that was developed by Microsoft in the 1980s. Microsoft licensed it from AT&T in the late 1970s.  It was designed to run on microcomputers, which were becoming increasingly popular at the time.


Designed to Run on Different Platforms

One of the key features of Xenix was its portability. It was designed to run on a variety of different hardware platforms, including the IBM PC and the Zilog Z8000. This made it a popular choice for businesses and organizations that needed to run UNIX on multiple types of computers.


Supported Multi-Tasking

Another important feature of Xenix was its support for multi-tasking. This allowed multiple programs to run simultaneously on a single computer, which was a significant improvement over earlier operating systems that could only run one program at a time.


Included Many Programming Tools and Utilities

Xenix also included a number of utilities and programming tools that made it easy for developers to create and maintain software. It included a shell, which is a command-line interface that allows users to interact with the operating system, and a number of programming languages, including C and FORTRAN.


Discontinued in the 1990s

Despite its popularity, Microsoft eventually decided to discontinue development of Xenix in the early 1990s, in favor of focusing on its new Windows operating system. However, many of the features and tools that were developed for Xenix were later incorporated into other versions of UNIX, Image by Willfried Wende from Pixabay  Linux.


Influenced Linx and Other UNIX Variants

In conclusion, Xenix was a popular version of the UNIX operating system that was developed by Microsoft in the 1980s. It was designed to run on microcomputers and offered features such as portability and multi-tasking. Although it was eventually discontinued, many of its features were later incorporated into other versions of UNIX and Linux.


Image by Willfried Wende from Pixabay 

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