OS9/OS6800

Category 3, Topic 45
Message 8 Mon Aug 13, 1990
CYCLONE [BillSheppard] at 00:13 CDT

OS-9 is a multi-user, multi-tasking operating system for 680x0 and 683xx based computers, though it originally ran on 6809-based computers like the CoCo. It is currently primarily used in the industrial world where it is used to control assembly lines, acquire data, drive instrument displays, control CD players, and many other tasks. It is used as the operating system of choice for the CoCo 1/2/3, and is available for the Mac, Amiga, and ST. It is strictly software, and generally includes the OS (which boots from floppy or hard disk and replaces TOS while active), C Compiler, linker, debugger, editor, and many, many utilities. It looks a lot like Unix to program for or to use, with similar commands and utilities available.

No windowing package has been commercially released for the ST, but there are several people working on a variety of packages. The most promising is being done for the ST, Amiga, Mac, and MM/1, a new multimedia computer based on OS-9 being released shortly. This windowing package will allow binary compatibility between all four computers - you could take the same compiled program and run it on either or all machines.

There are word processors/spreadsheets/databases available, as well as other utilities, much of it public domain. Basically, it's a very fun operating system to use for programming/hacking, and there is a great amount of untapped power in the ST as far as OS-9 is concerned. Also, with the release of the MM/1 I believe OS-9 will become better known in the US marketplace for micro-computers (even though it is already the third most widely used OS after MS- DOS and UNIX).

Cost for OS-9 on the ST is $600, which includes everything I mentioned above. Call me at (800) 475-9000 for more information.

Bill Sheppard Microware Systems Corporation

  From Genie.