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Tim Paterson

b. 1956

American computer programmer

Programmer Computer scientist Businessperson
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About Tim Paterson

Born 1956. Tim Paterson is an American programmer, computer scientist, businessperson and software design, known for 86-DOS, MSX-DOS and Z-80 SoftCard.

Tim Paterson (born 1 June 1956) is an American computer programmer, best known for creating 86-DOS, an operating system for the Intel 8086. This system emulated the application programming interface (API) of CP/M, which was created by Gary Kildall. 86-DOS later formed the basis of MS-DOS, the most widely used personal computer operating system in the 1980s.

Biography Paterson was educated in the Seattle Public Schools, graduating from Ingraham High School in 1974. He attended the University of Washington, working as a repair technician for The Retail Computer Store in the Green Lake area of Seattle, Washington, and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Computer Science

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Important facts

Born
1 June 1956
Birth century
20th century
Occupation
Programmer, computer scientist, businessperson, Software design
Nationality
United States
Known for
86-DOS, MSX-DOS, Z-80 SoftCard
Education
Ingraham High School, University of Washington
Employers
Microsoft, Seattle Computer Products

People in Tim Paterson's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Portrait of Gary Kildall
Gary Kildall
1942 – 1994
Computer scientist

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Tim Paterson's

Portrait of Alexander Prokhorov
Alexander Prokhorov
1916 – 2002
Physicist
 Portrait of Aryeh Dvoretzky
Aryeh Dvoretzky
1916 – 2008
Mathematician
 Portrait of Chia-Chiao Lin
Chia-Chiao Lin
1916 – 2013
Poet
 Portrait of Philip Rosenthal
Philip Rosenthal
1916 – 2001
Entrepreneur
 Portrait of Andrew Huxley
Andrew Huxley
1917 – 2012
Neuroscientist
 Portrait of Atle Selberg
Atle Selberg
1917 – 2007
Mathematician

Frequently asked questions

Who is Tim Paterson?

American computer programmer

When was Tim Paterson born?

Tim Paterson was born on 1 June 1956.

What is Tim Paterson's occupation?

Tim Paterson is a programmer, computer scientist, businessperson and software design.

What is Tim Paterson known for?

Tim Paterson is known for 86-DOS, MSX-DOS and Z-80 SoftCard.

What nationality is Tim Paterson?

Tim Paterson is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Tim Paterson

· Wikidata: Q92940

· DBpedia: Tim Paterson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tim Paterson. https://biography.guide/tim-paterson/

MLA: "Tim Paterson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tim-paterson/.

Chicago: "Tim Paterson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tim-paterson/.

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