Alternative OSs for retro systems

We know that alternative OSs exist for many older platforms, as the enthusiasts try to continue to get more from their aging hardware.

The c64 GUI OSs are well known and very impressive for an 8-bit platform, and many different kernels and OSs have been released for the Atari ST to try and get away from the limitations of it's horrible default GEM desktop.

But what about other systems? 8-bit systems shipped with a commandline only OS as their main interface, but these days some mad people are writing some amazing things for them still.

Have a look as SymbOS. This is a fully multitasking preemtive OS for the Z80 based 8-bit computers in the Amstrad and MSX ranges. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SymbOS

What alternative retro OSs do you all know about, and have you tried any of them?

How about Windows for the Spectrum. Go here If you don't believe me.

That is surely a joke?

'Tis only a demo not a real program. It's done rather well though.

It's a nice thought though.

It is done in a cool way. The demo is called Emulate and you can find out more and download it from:

http://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=2142

http://www.zxdemo.org/item.php?id=2532

i cannot help but post this little number

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VKu9qr...eature=related

a 14mhz Specy.... awesome!!

I saw that one. It doesn't actually explain how or if the Speccy is actually running at 14MHz.

It is interesting to see that there are still people working on these kinds of projects, making programs for old computers, but I wonder, does it still have much of a purpose other than to show that it is technically feasible?

Can you for example also run software from years ago like for example a game though this OS system?

AFAIK you would have to write software directly for these OSs. Existing software would need to be launched as it was originally on each system.

These OSs are really created by people just doing it to prove that it is possible, and also to get as much as they can from a system. Quite mad writing something like a GUI based preemtive multitasking OS for a C64 you have to agree, but everyone has to have a hobby, right? :lol:

Let's not forget these Alternate OS for old systems.

* Dave Braun at Intel wrote UZI (a unix v7 ish system for Z80 processors, and public domain) - one of the gnu project mistakes was not building off this but using Mach
http://www.dougbraun.com/uzi.html
* Steve Hosgood at UW Swansea wrote OMU - a 6809 and later 68000 based platform with a unixlike api
http://tallyho.bc.nu/~steve/
* Jawaid Bazyar of EGO systems wrote GNO/ME a unix like Multitasking Environment for the APPLE IIgs 65816 computers.
http://www.gno.org
* commodore/64 - Daniel Dallmann, lunix
http://lng.sourceforge.net/
* msx - Adriano C. R. da Cunha, uzix
http://uzix.sourceforge.net/

Also

* C64 GEOS

* Contiki operating system and desktop environment for the Commodore 64, with ports to a bunch of other platforms such as the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System, the VIC-20, 8-bit Ataris, Atari Jaguar, the Tandy CoCo, and the Apple ][ under development. The Contiki system includes the following: a multi-tasking kernel, a windowing system and themeable GUI toolkit, a screen saver, a TCP/IP stack, a personal web server, and a web browser. The Contiki web browser, which is likely to be the world's smallest browser given its extremely small memory footprint, is the world's first true web browser for an 8-bit system and probably makes the 21 years old Commodore 64 the oldest system ever to run a real web browser! All of the above programs are contained in a single, fully self-contained, 42 kilobytes large binary. The entire Contiki system with all programs running simultaneously is comfortable in 64 kilobytes of memory.

FYI: I'm a OS and Retro System Freak OK...

The Contiki OS is really cool, and I was taking about it in another thread here, where the website c64web is actually being served using a C64 and this OS. Really cool stuff.

I've seen a site hosted by an AppleII running Contiki.

Maybe the internet will soon be taken over by 8 and 16 bit computers. :ninja:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stephen Coates

I've seen a site hosted by an AppleII running Contiki.

Maybe the internet will soon be taken over by 8 and 16 bit computers. :ninja:

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That'll be the day Retrosteve rules the world!!

Are you still running your site on your old Mac Steve? Or did you give up on that? Might be cool for you to try alternative OSs on an old mac or Amiga you might have spare to see how much more performance you can get out of the hardware compared to the default OS.

I sold the LCII a while ago.

I will have to have ago at hosting a site from the amiga sometime.

That's one of the things I keep promising myself I will do if I ever get time.
Keep downloading the latest packages about every six months and that's it.
Never even get round to unpacking them.

Still involved in testing a lot of OS4 stuff for various devs, so can't see me getting around to it anytime soon.

With OS4 classic being new and there not being many classic OS4 users, there are always devs on the lookout for testers for OS4 proggies.

Obviously it's in my own interest to help out and in a lot of cases, it does mean I get stuff earlier than most. :)