avy@yugas.UUCP (Avy MOISE) (01/08/87)
Here is some interesting news about OS9-68000 for the ATARI ST.
Having ported OS-9 6809 for the SuperPET (known as SuperOS9) I became
very interested in the implementation of OS9-68000 on the ATARI ST.
So I convinced one local vendor (Andrew Lindzon) to become
an OS-9 distributor for the ATARI ST.
In September 1986, the first copies of TLM's port of OS9 became available
to us in Toronto Canada, and since Andrew did not know much about
this system he asked our local user group C.A.P.S. (Computer Applications
and Programming Seminars) which is based at York University to provide
software consulting services.
The OS9 software that we had received did not include any documentation on the
hardware or software implementation for the ATARI ST. Also we did not get
the standard 90 days warranty cards from Micoware that entitle us to HOT LINE
support.
When we contacted TLM Systems in October, we were promised
proper warranty cards, ATARI specific manuals and documentation on interfacing
to the ATARI's hardware. Needless to say, we did not receive any of the
above.
In January 87, we tried to contact TLM to complain and report on various bugs,
but we discovered that their phones in New York and California have been
disconnected. In an attempt to find more information I contacted Microware
and spoke to Ken Kaplan (the president of Microware).
The following is a quick summary of what he told me:
Q. What is going on with TLM ?
A. TLM is not answering the phone...
i.e. TLM is no longer in business.
TLM CAN NO LONGER support OS9 for the Atari ST.
Q. What about software support for people the bought the OS9 software from TLM ?
A. Microware will make an effort to obtain the source code for the ATARI ST
drivers so that they will be able to support the ATARI.
Q. What are Microware's plans for the Atari ?
A. Once Microware has full source for the device drivers and ATARI specific
modifications, they will attempt to install OS9 V2.0 on the Atari ST.
Q. When should we expect this upgrade to become available ?
A. It will take at least 4 weeks to sort things out...
Q. How much will it cost ?
A. To those who can show a proof of purchase of the OS9 system from TLM,
Microware will sell the upgrade at cost.
i.e. the cost of the media and mailing, around $30.00.
Q. What will the upgrade include ?
A. OS9 6800 is now being sold in two versions:
1. Personal OS9
Low cost, user oriented OS9-68000 system, which includes
the kernel, drivers, file managers, a user oriented
subset of utilities (with basic09) and a shorter/simpler
version of the OS9 manual set.
2. Professional OS9
At a higher cost it will include a fuller set of programming tools
(like 'make'), full operating system documentation the should be
enable the professional developer to write device drivers.
3. Individual utilities may be purchased separtly from Microware.
Some of the utilities may be a printer spooler, tape backup and
programming languages.
In conclusion:
If you have an Atari ST and prchased OS9 from TLM, you have a half finished
product...
TLM had released 3 different versions of OS9, all contain bugs !!!
Just to name a few
1. The math trap handlers do not work with BASIC09
e.g
for i=1 to 10
print log(i)
next i
DOES NOT WORK
2. Doing an xmode on /t1 may lead to a system crash.
3. The system spontaneously seems to issue a SYSTEM RESET request
following by a total crash.
4. Some versions of 'fdisk' will not recognize an ATARI hard disk.
We therefore think that it would be unwise to buy the TLM version of OS9 at
present. We also think that it would be better to wait for the
Microware version 2.0 implementation to become available.
Ring... Ring... Ring...
Andrew Crane from microware just called, he says...
We are aware of the situation with TLM and we
shall be supporting the ATARI in the near future...
Avygdor Moise
utzoo!yetti!yugas!avy