In the mid 1980s, text-based and graphical user interface operating environments surrounded DOS operating systems with a shell that turned the user's display into a menu-oriented "desktop" for selecting and running PC applications.
These operating environment systems allow users much of the convenience of integrated software without locking them into a single package.
In the mid 1980s, text-based and graphical user interface operating environments such as IBM TopView, Microsoft Windows, Digital Research's GEM Desktop, GEOS and Quarterdeck Office Systems's DESQview surrounded DOS operating systems with a shell that turned the user's display into a menu-oriented "desktop" for selecting and running PC applications.
These operating environment systems gave users much of the convenience of integrated software without locking them into a single package.
Alternative operating environments made terminate-and-stay-resident pop-up utilities such as Borland Sidekick redundant.