The promoters of a new multi-user, multi-tasking operating system that runs MS-DOS programs are hoping to take advantage of the lack of operating system software available for Intel 80386-based machines. PC-MOS/386 was developed by The Software Link, of Atlanta, Georgia, and now available here in the UK through East London distributors Intercompany Communications Technology Ltd. According to ICCT, the product has advantages over both OS/2 and Xenix/Unix in that it can run most MS-DOS programs, including new software written in 32-bit mode. Intercompany expects sales to be at least on a par with Unix/Xenix over the next three years. The Software Link has worked on similar products over its six year existence – Multilink sat on top of MS-DOS and provided multi-user/multi- tasking capabilities for IBM Personals; more recently Lanlink provided the software facility for up to 16 Personals to be connected to a file server. With appropriate serial port boards such as the Specialix AT8 or Stargate, an 80386 machine can support up to 25 users, and multi-tasking with up to 4Gb address space. File and record locking is handled with standard file-sharing calls. Users see a similar environment to MS-DOS with most of the same commands, except where Microsoft got touchy about copyrights. PC-MOS runs on all 80386 machines built using the BIOS developed by Phoenix Technologies, and in tests in the US, 93 of the top MS-DOS software products are claimed to have run successfully, (although the operating system does have problems with terminate and stay memory-resident programs such as Borland International’s Sidekick. PC-MOS costs UKP195 for the single user version, UKP595 for the five user version, and UKP995 with support for 25 users.