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RISC OS
Also see the ARM Chip
Now about RISC OS. RISC means "Reduced Instruction Set Computer" which means that unlike processors where it's all got too complex and has to be compatible with ancient versions of chips, RISC chips are compact and fast.
RISC Operating System? As in an operating system on a Risc processor? Yes, but there's also something else called RiscOS which runs on the x86 PC as it's to do with Linux.
Zyra's site tries to include everything, so we're hoping to get some info about Risc OS and the ARM Chip etc... from you! Here's an incoming helpful comment which is a good start...
I'm mailing you to let you know about another OS you don't
mention on your
page. It's called "RISC OS" (but not to be confused
with the *NIX OS "Risc
OS"). It was developed by Acorn Computers in the late 80's
in Cambridge.
Now Acorn are "Element 14" RISC OS is owned by Pace (who
use it in set top
boxes like the Bush Internet TV) and "RISC OS Ltd" (http://www.riscos.co.uk (link
apparently gone))
are developing it for desktop use. I'm writing this to you using
version
4.02 running on an Acorn RISC PC with StrongARM processor. Acorn
were the
1st company to bring RISC processors to the home desktop (inspite
of Apple's
lies) but no longer design and manufacture desktops. Castle
Computers have
bought the rights to the A7000+ and RISC PC range and the Acorn
brand name.
They have also just announced a new machine called Iyonix based
on the
ARM/Digital/Intel XScale. RiscStation Ltd and Microdigital both
design and
manuf. RISC OS compatible systems with other, smaller, projects
on the go
from other companies.
I just thought it would be nice to have a British OS feature on
your site
:-)
Contributions are welcomed, and everyone will be credited, but it's all a bit preliminary at present!
Here's another comment...
...RISCOS, ... might be small but given it superiority over
most other OS's...
The ARM processor, which you rate highly, was specifically
designed to run RISCOS. In this instance they designed the OS (a
long way
ahead of anything else at the time) and then designed the
processor to run
it. This was a far better way than the Intel Microsoft way where
the chip
was designed and then someone tried to design an OS to run on the
chip.
That has been the major problem with windows ever since.
Various variants of RiscOS appear in many devices eg set top
boxes and the like.
RISCOS is without any doubt the most compact efficient OS
available and
has a wide range of excellent software to support it with DTP and
graphics
applications to rival anything on Windows (not to mention it was
the
original platform for Sibelius).
It's a pity Acorn stuffed up its marketing and management...
Sorry I've had to cut this up a bit, but I am trying to please everyone, so I'm putting info on here and inviting suggestions.
Here's a helpful incoming insight into the anomaly about the name...
I believe (although I know nothing about it other than the
name is the same
as my OS of choice apart from the case of letters) that Risc OS
does run on
x86 architecture as it's a form of Linux
but you are quite right, RISC OS
only runs on ARM processors. Although
there are a couple of x86 emulators
around now.
Some more links:
http://productsdb.riscos.com/ (gone?) admin/ros_test.htm
News 2003/09: Now that everything has been sorted out, there seems to be no interest in it.