OS/2 vs. W95
erik seielstad
: mar...@nbnet.nb.ca (Jurassic Mark) writes:
: |> ji...@world.std.com (jim frost) wrote:
: |>
: |> >Also in the PC market was Xenix -- a fully functional UNIX -- in the
: |> >early 1980's. I think OS/9 was even earlier, but I'm not sure about
: |> >that.
: |>
: |> OS/9 was in the early 80's, yeah. I remember using OS/9 2.0 on
: |> my CoCo3 around 1986-87.
: I don't think that OS/9 was more than a design concept in the early
: 1980s. Certainly, when I first looked at it, it was full of places
: where the descriptions said "this is a standard operating system
: facility, so we haven't implemented it yet". Mid-1980s is probably
: more realistic. Xenix certainly hit the outside world long before
: OS/9, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Xenix predated OS/9.
OS-9 from Microware has been around for quite a while. I'm no
expert in it's history, but have been running it on my home computer
for years. OS-9 is a real-time multi-tasking multi-user operating
system originally written to run on the 6809 processor, later ported
to 68000, and more recently os-9000 (the "portable" OS-9) has been
ported to 386 (and above) processors.
OS-9 is not unix (although it appears to have many functions "good"
UNIX systems want - you can load and unload device drivers while the
system is running, it can be burned into rom, and programs all have
revision numbers, so newer version of programs can be loaded into
memory, and they will replace older versions.)
I believe the first commercial use of OS-9 was aboard the first
space shuttle (it is used to run the onboard communications system).
Since then OS-9 has taken off, and used in bazillions of imbedded
controller applications from video gambling machines to expensive
medical equipment.
I've added comp.os.os9 to the newsgroup line, so people over there
can correct my mistakes (grin).
-erik
--
--
er...@acs.brockport.edu | SUNY College at Brockport,
Systems Programmer/Analyst | Brockport, NY 14420-2982
James Jones
>Nick Maclaren (nm...@cus.cam.ac.uk) wrote:
>: mar...@nbnet.nb.ca (Jurassic Mark) writes:
>: I don't think that OS/9 was more than a design concept in the early
>: 1980s. Certainly, when I first looked at it, it was full of places
>: where the descriptions said "this is a standard operating system
>: facility, so we haven't implemented it yet". Mid-1980s is probably
>: more realistic. Xenix certainly hit the outside world long before
>: OS/9, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Xenix predated OS/9.
Well...I have a BASIC09 manual that is copyrighted 1980, and the
*OS-9/6809 Operating System User's Manual* says "Copyright 1980, 1984."
I first heard of OS-9 in ads in *Byte* (back when there was something
like diversity in the personal computer world) and *68 Micro Journal*
back in 1980 and 1981. 1984 is about the time that OS-9/68000 came
out, I think.
> OS-9 from Microware has been around for quite a while. I'm no
>expert in it's history, but have been running it on my home computer
>for years. OS-9 is a real-time multi-tasking multi-user operating
>system originally written to run on the 6809 processor, later ported
>to 68000, and more recently os-9000 (the "portable" OS-9) has been
>ported to 386 (and above) processors.
...and the PowerPC.
James Jones
Opinions (and errors, though I try to avoid them) herein are those of
the author, and not necessarily those of any organization.
Peter Hines
er...@squid.acs.brockport.edu (erik seielstad) wrote:
>Nick Maclaren (nm...@cus.cam.ac.uk) wrote:
>: mar...@nbnet.nb.ca (Jurassic Mark) writes:
>: |>
>: |> >Also in the PC market was Xenix -- a fully functional UNIX -- in the
>: |> >early 1980's. I think OS/9 was even earlier, but I'm not sure about
>: |> >that.
>: |>
>: |> OS/9 was in the early 80's, yeah. I remember using OS/9 2.0 on
>: |> my CoCo3 around 1986-87.
>
>: 1980s. Certainly, when I first looked at it, it was full of places
>: where the descriptions said "this is a standard operating system
>: facility, so we haven't implemented it yet". Mid-1980s is probably
>: more realistic. Xenix certainly hit the outside world long before
>: OS/9, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Xenix predated OS/9.
>
>expert in it's history, but have been running it on my home computer
>for years. OS-9 is a real-time multi-tasking multi-user operating
>system originally written to run on the 6809 processor, later ported
>to 68000, and more recently os-9000 (the "portable" OS-9) has been
>ported to 386 (and above) processors.
>
>UNIX systems want - you can load and unload device drivers while the
>system is running, it can be burned into rom, and programs all have
>revision numbers, so newer version of programs can be loaded into
>memory, and they will replace older versions.)
>
> I believe the first commercial use of OS-9 was aboard the first
>space shuttle (it is used to run the onboard communications system).
>Since then OS-9 has taken off, and used in bazillions of imbedded
>controller applications from video gambling machines to expensive
>medical equipment.
>
> I've added comp.os.os9 to the newsgroup line, so people over there
>can correct my mistakes (grin).
>
> -erik
>--
>--
> er...@acs.brockport.edu | SUNY College at Brockport,
> Systems Programmer/Analyst | Brockport, NY 14420-2982
I first used OS9 around 1981 on a custom 6809 system. We used it for major
factory applications in a number of Ford plants. We found it at the last
minute as an alternative to Motorola's VersaDos ( ugh ). At the same time
we had a Zilog Z8000 system running Version 6 Unix, a NCR Tower 68000 with
Version 7, and a 68000 running Charles River Data Systems UNOS, a supposed
"real-time" unix. OS9 on a little 2 Mhz 6809 out performed them all, and
with only 64k of memory ( no virtual memory either ). It had most of the
system calls of the bigger UNIX systems, yet took only about 12K af RAM. I did
not hear about Xenix until around 1982 or 1983.
For 3 years we ran all the company development and accounting on a Gimix
6809 OS9 system with page swapped memory ( 512k total ) and intelligent I/O
cards.
We had 12 terminals and 2 printers hooked to that computer and it crashed
less than 3 times in a year while running 24 hours a day. The same company
is still doing all their job cost tracking and some development on a VME 68020
system running OS9, the last time I logged in it had over 10,000 hours of
continuous run time without any failure.
The current versions for the 68xxx are much more capable, especially in the
networking area. The kernel response times have also been improved considerably.
Pete
Peter Hines phi...@interramp.com
======================================
Simon Peacock
phi...@interramp.com "Peter Hines" writes:
> In Article <3mbedf$e...@squid.acs.brockport.edu>,
> er...@squid.acs.brockport.edu (erik seielstad) wrote:
> >Nick Maclaren (nm...@cus.cam.ac.uk) wrote:
> >: mar...@nbnet.nb.ca (Jurassic Mark) writes:
> >: |> ji...@world.std.com (jim frost) wrote:
> >: |>
> >: |> >Also in the PC market was Xenix -- a fully functional UNIX -- in the
> >: |> >early 1980's. I think OS/9 was even earlier, but I'm not sure about
> >: |> >that.
> >: |>
> >: |> OS/9 was in the early 80's, yeah. I remember using OS/9 2.0 on
> >: |> my CoCo3 around 1986-87.
> >
> >: I don't think that OS/9 was more than a design concept in the early
> >: 1980s.
<snip>
>
> I first used OS9 around 1981 on a custom 6809 system.
<snip>
> OS9 on a little 2 Mhz 6809 out performed them all, and
> with only 64k of memory ( no virtual memory either ).
I was involved with a company (Positron) which designed 6809 based systems
from around 1981 in the UK. It used OS9 Level 2 which relied on the Motorola
6829 MMU to provide access to a 1 Mb address space with write protection.
It was good for several users, although I don't think that it had record
locking built into RBF at that time, so you had to take care!
--
Simon Peacock
Mentat Systems Limited
si...@mentatsl.demon.co.uk
Colin McKay
Just to settle some of this early OS-9 discussion, here are excerpts
from an article that I wrote for the OS-9 Users Group newsletter.
If anyone is interested in the complete text, drop me a message.
TTYL. Colin.
Colin McKay
President
OS-9 Users Group, Inc.
Printed in the OS-9 Users Group MOTD Newsletter
Chicago Fest 1994 Special Edition
A History of Microware Systems Corp, Des Moines IA
--------------------------------------------------
<SNIP>
MICROWARE NEW PRODUCT NEWSLETTER April 1979.
Thank you for your inquiry about our line of 6800 family hardware and
software products. We are in the process of introducing some new software
so our 1979 catalog will not be ready for some time. In the interim we
are presenting new product information in this newsletter.
6809 SOFTWARE. Motorola contracted Microware to produce the finest
possible software for the 6809. The new software we have prepared for
Motorola includes a new BASIC language system plus an operating system.
This software will be available soon from Motorola and Microware. Here
are a few highlights:
BASIC09 LANGUAGE SYSTEM
* World's fastest microcomputer BASIC interpreter
* Integrated compiler/interpreter/editor package
* Structured BASIC - will even run many PASCAL programs with minor
modification, plus compatible with SWTPC and Microsoft BASICs
* Five data types: Floating-point (9+ digit accuracy), Integer
(16 bit), Byte (8 bits), Boolean; and String (variable length)
* User-defined record data structures (similar to PASCAL)
* Formatted I/O to multiple devices using OS-9
* Position-independent, reentrant code
* Device-independent I/O in conjunction with OS-9
* Masked on ROM chip set
OS-9 OPERATING SYSTEM
* Advanced design modeled after UNIX
* Device-independent I/O
* Random-access, hierarchical file structure
* Single- or multiple-page memory management
* Position independent masked ROM
* Compatible time-sharing version will be available
<SNIP>
In 1978 Motorola began development of the 6809, a revolutionary 8/16-bit
microprocessor. Due to their previous acquaintance, Motorola also
commissioned Microware to develop an advanced programming language to show
off the features of the new chip. Working closely with the hardware
designers, Microware developed the new language, BASIC09. New research
in interactive compilation, fast floating point arithmetic, storage
management, high-level symbolic debugging, and structured language design
were all incorporated into the new language. Designers Larry Crane,
Robert Doggett, Ken Kaplan, and Terry Ritter combined their talents to
create the new language, and BASIC09 was first released in February, 1980.
Realizing the power of the new chip, Microware also began development of
a new operating system at the same time it was developing BASIC09. OS-9
was to be a revolutionary operating system, to take advantage of the
revolutionary hardware it would be running on. Concepts from UNIX,
probably the most powerful system software available at the time, were
taken and applied to real-time design requirements. When finished, OS-9
incorporated modular design, sophisticated IO and memory management, and
multi-user, multi-tasking capabilities. Like BASIC09, OS-9 was also
released in 1980.
The 1980's
----------
OS-9 began life running on SS-50 bus and ExorBus systems. In 1983
Tandy/Radio Shack began offering OS-9 as an optional operating system for
its 64k Color Computer (CoCo). The relationship with Tandy continued
throughout the life of the CoCo, eventually supporting OS-9 Level II on
CoCo 3 systems. Today, with the help of third-party vendors, clubs, and
the OS-9 Users Group, Inc., many CoCo users are still actively computing
with OS-9/6809.
Another big step for Microware came when it began developing software for
Motorola's 68000 chip on the new VMEbus systems. This was the dawn of
OS-9 for 16- and 32-bit microprocessors and microcontrollers. Strong
markets for OS-9 on VMEbus systems developed in North America, Japan, and
Europe, with most VME manufacturers selling OS-9/68000 for their product.
OS-9/68000 was first released in 1983.
<SNIP>
In the mid-1980's, Philips began development of its Compact
Disc-interactive system (CD-i). CD-i's audio and video features required
real-time processing power. After evaluating more than 60 operating
systems and kernels, OS-9 was selected as the brains of this new product.
As a result of this, in 1986 Microsoft offered to buy Microware. Ken
Kaplan instead made a counter offer for a joint venture, and the talks
fell apart.
--
Colin McKay | Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
Northern Xposure | Dante (1265-1321) 'Inferno', Canto iii
cmc...@northx.isis.org | [ Inscription over the gate to Hell ]