Convergent Technologies Operating System: Difference between revisions

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==Overview==

CTOS had many innovative features for its time. System access was controlled with a user password and Volumevolume or disk passwords. If one knew the password, for example, for a volume, one could access any file or directory on that volume ([[hard disk]]). Each volume and directory were referenced with delimiters to identify them, and could be followed with a file name, depending on the operation, i.e. {Network Node}[VolumeName]<DirectoryName>FileName.

It was possible to custom-link the operating system to add or delete features.

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==Usage==

[[Convergent Technologies]]' first product was the IWS (Integrated Workstation) based on the [[Intel 8086]] processor, which had CTOS as its operating system. This was a modular operating system with built-in [[local area networking]]. CTOS supported multiple processes or threads, and message-based interprocess communication.<ref name="foldoc">{{foldoc|Convergent+Technologies+Operating+System}}</ref>

Companies that licensed CTOS included [[Groupe Bull|Bull]] (STARSYS), and [[Burroughs Corporation|Burroughs]] (BTOS) who later merged with Sperry to become [[Unisys]]. Unisys was the single largest customer and acquired Convergent Technologies in 1988. At its peak, CTOS had over 800,000 users worldwide.