QEMM

QEMM (Quarterdeck Expanded Memory Manager) is a memory management software developed by Quarterdeck Office Systems for DOS-based computers. Initially released in the late 1980s, QEMM was designed to optimize conventional and expanded memory usage, allowing for improved system performance and the ability to run more complex applications within the limited memory environment of MS-DOS.

QEMM supports various memory management techniques, including expanded and extended memory handling, providing users with enhanced control over memory allocation. Its advanced features include hardware reconfiguration, memory hiding, and caching, which contributed to better system stability and performance when running multiple or memory-intensive programs.

The software became a popular tool among power users and businesses that relied on DOS applications, especially before the advent of more advanced operating systems like Windows 95. QEMM was often bundled with popular DOS utilities and was instrumental in enabling older hardware configurations to maximize their capabilities.

In addition to its core functions, QEMM provided a user-friendly interface for configuring memory settings and offered support for various hardware platforms and configurations. Over time, as Windows and other modern operating systems gained prominence, the significance of QEMM diminished, and its development was eventually discontinued.

Despite its decline, QEMM remains noteworthy in the history of DOS memory management, influencing subsequent software solutions and being remembered for its robust features and contribution to computing during the late 1980s and early 1990s.