Originally based on IBM's operating system OS (IBM)[?], OS/360 developed three control programs, initially the single task PCP (Primary Control Program), then MFT (multiprogramming with a fixed number of tasks) and finally MVT (multiprogramming with a variable number of tasks) with JCL (Job control language). OS/360 was amongst the earliest OSs to need direct access storage devices.
After the virtual addressing hardware was developed, the systems were renamed. MFT became OS/VS1 and MVT became OS/VS2. OS/VS2 became MVS (Multiple Virtual Storage).
Frederick P. Brooks' book, The Mythical Man-Month, gives OS/360 as an example of the second-system effect.
OS/360 is in the public domain and can be downloaded freely. In addition to the System/360 hardware, it can also be run on the free Hercules emulator which runs under Linux and Windows.
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