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.