[Coco] origins of OS-9

[Aaron Wolfe]

I just found a Microware ad in the Mar-Apr 1979 issue of 68 Micro
Journal (vol1 no2).

Products (all for 6800) include a Lisp interpreter, the A/BASIC
compiler and interpreter, an Eliza chat program, a chess game, and
most interestingly RT/68.

RT/68 is described as:

RT/68 Real Time Operating System
MikBUG compatible ROM that combines an improved monitor/debugger with
a powerful multitasking operating system.  Supports up to 16
concurrent tasks at 8 priority levels plus real time clock and
interrupt control.  Thousands in use since 1976 handling all types of
applications.  Available on 6830 (MIKBUG-type) or 2708 (EPROM-type)
ROM.  Manual is a classic on 6800 real-time applications and contains
a full source program listing.  $55

..so it seems Microware had quite some experience with operating
systems and BASICs prior to the 6809.  Motorola's decision to partner
with them for the Basic09 and OS-9 projects may well have been based
on these products, and I do wonder if some of the ideas if not the
code of RT/68 are present in OS-9.
Interesting stuff.

On Fri, Mar 5, 2010 at 9:14 PM, Lothan <lothan at newsguy.com> wrote:
> Wasn't that Microware RT68 for the 6800? This is pure conjecture on my part,
> but I somehow doubt Microware really had to put much thought into the
> decision to create an operating system for Basic09. I mean it had already
> created the RT68 platform for the 6800 and it sure is a lot easier to
> develop and sell products for an operating system than it is to do
> bare-metal development for each product it creates.
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Stephen H. Fischer" <SFischer1 at Mindspring.com>
> Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 7:51 PM
> To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
> Subject: Re: [Coco] origins of OS-9
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I seem to remember that there was something before OS-9 for the 6800.
>>
>> FLEX had been in existence for the 6800 for some time and perhaps
>> something else.
>>
>> I think that I have the 68 micro journals starting just before OS-9 was
>> announced in an ad.
>>
>> Look in the scanned copies in the Archive.
>>
>> Have these issues been looked at by anyone?
>>
>> SHF
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gene Heskett"
>> <gene.heskett at verizon.net>
>> To: "CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts" <coco at maltedmedia.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 9:12 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Coco] origins of OS-9
>>
>>
>>>> I think there is a part of the story that I haven't been able to find:
>>>> how OS-9 became a powerful, full featured OS and not just a shell for
>>>> running B09.
>>>>
>>> I can't argue about that, and considering that we are all much the richer
>>> for
>>> it, no other os's docs have ever approached the clear, concise detail
>>> they
>>> gave us.  What an education it has been!
>>>
>>> --
>>> Cheers, Gene
>>
>>
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>>
>
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