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From: steve@wlbr.UUCP (Steve Childress)
Newsgroups: net.micro.amiga,net.micro.6809,net.micro.68k
Subject: Re: Info on OS9 Operating System
Message-ID: <347@wlbr.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Sep-85 02:22:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: wlbr.347
Posted: Tue Sep 10 02:22:20 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Sep-85 12:03:16 EDT
Organization: Eaton IMS, Westlake Village, CA
Lines: 98
Xref: watmath net.micro.amiga:136 net.micro.6809:492 net.micro.68k:1120

...
....

In response to the request for general info on OS9 ... a MC68xxx O/S ...

-   See Usenet group net.micro.6809 ... there's a buncha OS9 fans there,
    especially Peter Dibble.

A brief discussion of OS-9:

o  Authored by Microware Systems Corp, Des Moines, Iowa 
o  It's about 5 years old, starting out as a spin-off from a contract
   between Microware and Motorola. Mot. was looking for a super-BASIC
   and an O/S to exploit the superb architecture of the MC6809.
o  OS-9 exists in three flavors:
	- Level I for 8-bit sytems using 64K on CPUs having a 6809
	- Level II, same but has bank-switching for up to 1MB on 6809s
	- Level I for 680x0 machines with large memories (>=256K?)
o  Key features:
	- Costs about 1/8 of Unix
	- Small, assembly-lang Kernel
	- Reentrant & position-independent code everwhere which makes
	    multiuser and multitasking practical on < $5K computers
	- Concurrent, priortized processes similar to Unix
	- Tree-structured file system directories with long file names
	- Pipes & some of Unix's signals like quit, abort, send_signal
	- Interrupt driven scheduler and I/O drivers
	- Loadable device drivers and dynamic extensions to the O/S
	- Numerous Unix-like utilities; not as many as Unix though
	- Reasonalby good interrupt latency and process switch times
	- Microware's BASIC09 is noteworthy -- it's an incremental compiler
	  which is interactive, compiles to psuedocode, is FAST, and
	  sort of a merger of PASCAL's procedures and BASIC's easy debugging.
o Machines:
	- Many (older) 6809s, eg., Southwest Technical, Gimix, Smoke
	  Signal, Hazlewood, Tandy Color Computer, Apple II w/add-in board.
	- A (very) few retailed 68000 machines, eg., Smoke Signal,
	  Gimix, and perhaps two or so more. 
	- Supposedly more widely used as a real-time exec for controllers

I've used it for several years on 6809 machines and enjoyed it. I did`
a port of the Kernel to the upgraded Apple II -- it was fairly easy
because Microware's designers used some of the best design practices
and beautiful regularity I've ever seen. I have a 12MB hard disk
which has run under OS-9 (8-bit version) for 4 years without losing
a file. I can't say that for many others except DEC's RSX-11.

Because the code is reentrant (including BASIC09 and other applications)
and position-independent, you REALLY CAN run 2-3 users on a VERY inexpensive
machine .. so long as the users don't run many unique programs. EG., everyone
BBS'ing,  editing or running BASIC09. I've even run three users on an Apple II
in BASIC09 --- it works so long as they use the floppy lightly.

Tandy sells it for their ($300) Color Computer ... it's a real
paradox in that (diminishing) market. Look for its manuals at your
nearby Tandy computer center.

The trouble (with OS9 for the 68000)  is that it's not available on
a popular computer so there's never been any good non-system softare
so there's never been any users --- etc, etc, catch-22.

I considered going to OS9/68K until I spent a weekend with an AT&T
UNIX-PC. For < $5,000, that machine, with its bit-mapped graphics & Sys 5.2
just beats the heck out of any other high-end machine for the serious
hobbiest. Compare that machine to Smoke Signal's SS50 bus ( == no peripherals)
Regulus machine, or to Gimix's high-priced 68020 computer, or even to
(yech!) a PC/AT w/Xenix. 

So in SUMMARY I'll editorialize:

	OS9-6809 is the best small-computer O/S I've seen but
	it has never gained popularity to attract software houses.

	OS9-68000 is better than the 8-bit version (I've heard), but
	is encumbered even moreso than its 8-bit predecessor.

	Microware advertises in "Mini-Micro Systems", "Unix World", and ?

	Microware's ads speak of several new manufacturers incorporation
	of OS9/68K and announcements Real Soon Now. (Kudos to Jerry).
	Personally, I don't suggest holding your breath!

Send out a CQ on net.micro.6809 for more info. I wrote several related 
articles published in "Micro" magazine (now defunct) in '83 (or was it
'84?). Also wrote a big article in Kilobaud Microcomputing on a disk 
device driver for OS9.

Hope this helps those curious about OS-9.


		Regards,
			Steve Childress
			Eaton IMS    R&D Group MS 43 
			31717 La Tienda Drive
			Westlake Village,  CA    91360
			(818) 889-2211 X2148
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