The underlying
hardware or
software for a
system. For example, the platform might be an Intel 80486 processor
running DOS Version 6.0. The platform could also be
UNIX machines on an
Ethernet network.
The platform defines a standard around which a system can be developed. Once the platform has been defined, software developers can produce appropriate software and managers can purchase appropriate hardware and applications. The term is often used as a synonym of operating system.
The term cross-platform refers to applications, formats, or devices that work on different platforms. For example, a cross-platform programming environment enables a programmer to develop programs for many platforms at once.
