GEOS (16-bit operating system)

PC / GEOS (PC / Graphical Environment Object System ) is a graphical user interface for computer running DOS -compatible operating system. It is also known under the names GeoWorks Ensemble, GeoWorks DTP, IBM ShoolView, NewDeal Office and Breadbox Ensemble known and was presented in 1990 by the U.S. company GeoWorks Corporation, in the meantime, by the U.S. company NewDeal Inc. and since 2000 by Breadbox Computer Company LLC developed with headquarters in Florida and sold.

2.1 Required Hardware
2.2 Required Operating System
2.3 emulators
2.4 System design and kernel
2.5 GUI technology
2.6 drivers
2.7 Application Software
2.8 Internet Software
2.9 Security against computer viruses
2:10 software development on PC / GEOS

3.1 Similar competing products

4.1 PC / GEOS 1 with GeoWorks ensemble
4.2 PC / GEOS 2 with GeoWorks ensemble
4.3 PC / GEOS 2 with NewDeal Office
4.4 PC / GEOS 3 with NewDeal Office
4.5 PC / GEOS 4 NewDeal with Office 2000
4.6 PC / GEOS 4 with Breadbox Ensemble

Use

The graphical user interface PC / GEOS can be applied to computer systems, on which an MS- DOS compatible operating system installed, use. A required DOS - compatible operating system is not part of PC / GEOS. PC / GEOS leverages and extends capabilities of DOS. When used as a DOS extension, it acts as a DOS program launcher and file manager. When you start a DOS program PC / GEOS itself is shut down except for a small load function and restarted after exiting the DOS program. However, under DR DOS to PC / GEOS registered instead TASKMGR as a graphical menu system for the preemptive Protected Mode Multitasker ( KRNL386.EXE or EMM386 / MULTI) of DR- DOS, allowing seamless operation of multiple parallel focal- DOS and GEOS applications at the same time. PC / GEOS replaces the DOS CLI through dialog-based interface, using a mouse and other input devices. It offers different selectable user interfaces. In the PC / GEOS package and also available are native and highly integrated layout and desktop publishing applications, office, school and Internet software.

Benefits

The advantage over other operating systems and user interfaces lies in the low resource usage of PC / GEOS. It works not only on current personal computers, but also on almost all built since 1986 IBM -compatible computers due to its low hardware requirements. PC / GEOS is therefore also suitable for use on computers available to current products such as Windows XP, Linux distributions or Mac OS X due to their high demands on the hardware is not capable of running. For this purpose, a higher data security comes by maintaining the data formats and - in the opinion of the majority of PC / GEOS users - a high level of user friendliness.

Disadvantages

The biggest disadvantage of PC / GEOS is that there is yet available exclusively as a 16- bit version for the real mode. Due to the low spread is suitable for professional software manufacturer no lucrative market. In addition to software of the PC / GEOS manufacturer therefore there is hardly more purchasable software. Special keyboards or input devices for physically disabled people are not yet supported by the manufacturer.

System

Required Hardware

PC / GEOS, has low hardware requirements as a 16- bit system.

From an Intel 8086 microprocessor with at least 512 KB of RAM, Hercules or CGA graphics card as well as a previously installed DOS operating system, the PC / GEOS basic system are performed. However Optional software requires at least an EGA or MCGA graphics card.

The manufacturer recommends for a comfortable operation of PC / GEOS 4.x as a minimum a 386 or better, 640 kilobytes of RAM, a 15 MB hard drive and an EGA card. The system will benefit from up to 32 megabytes of additional RAM strong.

About 250, mostly from the years 1990 to about 2000 native printer with parallel and serial connection, including PostScript printers are supported. USB printers are not supported due to lack of USB drivers installed on a DOS PC / GEOS.

PC / GEOS can be burned to optical media CD and DVD and installed on various RAM cards or USB flash drive. It relies on CD and USB driver in the underlying operating system or a hard disk emulation in the BIOS, which dominates booting from CD or USB stick.

The various PC / GEOS versions support the following additional hardware standards:

PCs from IBM XT standard up to current models. PC / GEOS benefits from a math co - processors.
The minimum required CPU clock speed is PC / GEOS 1.x at 6 megahertz, for PC / GEOS 2.x and 3.x at 16 megahertz, from PC / GEOS 4.x at 33 megahertz.
From PC / GEOS 3.0 VESA is supported 1.02 to 2.0 SVGA and XGA isolated in true color. Later, non-standard and in need of its own driver graphics cards are only very occasionally helps some compatibility with the VESA standard.
It has drivers for devices to data entry such as keyboards or mice.
For data transmission, for example, in connection with BBS or Internet PC / GEOS support 4 AT modems of all speeds, including external ISDN modem that supports the AT command set. The Internet access via DSL and ISDN is also possible of such external router.
As of version 1.2, the system has the capacity to use in a network and support, also to redirect the printer output, previously installed Novell Netware, LAN Artisoft -Tastic, IBM LAN Manager and from PC / GEOS 3.x addition PowerLAN Bay Networks, Microsoft Windows network and compatible to DOS IP network drivers. Some PC / GEOS versions like version 4 it was on request complete network versions.

Required operating system

PC / GEOS on compatible to DOS operating systems work, which also includes current and FreeDOS are.

Advantage of an installation on MS- DOS -based Windows versions is the fact that PC / GEOS can use many Windows device drivers, such as for RAM, USB, network and printer, what the possibilities compared to the installation on a DOS operating system expands.

PC / GEOS works on OS / 2 since version 2, as well as on the OS / 2 Warp successors / 4 and eComStation in direct mode.

The design concept of Windows NT (and its successors ), DOS programs to deny direct access to the hardware, PC / GEOS works on Windows NT -based operating systems with the normal Geos drivers only in full screen mode in DOS window. Depending on the hardware and Windows drivers used is also under Geos some no " True Color " mode, but only a 16-color mode possible. Therefore, there are a few more from Geos 3.x special graphics drivers that allow Geos to run Windows in a window. Unfortunately, these drivers are not very stable and run some only when Windows is running in a graphics mode with 16- bit color depth. Also, access to the sound card is only using emulators ( VDMSound, DosBox, ...) possible. Geos programs that are used to play audio CDs, also need emulators as MSCDEXNT much less than can be Dos colleague MSCDEX.

PC / GEOS may, inter alia, be installed on FAT12, FAT16 or FAT32 -formatted disk.

Emulators

In addition to a direct installation on DOS or MS- DOS -based versions of Windows PC / GEOS can on non-compatible to DOS systems such as Windows XP, Linux distributions, Mac OS X from a CPU clock frequency of about 1 GHz with the help of a previously installed DOSEMU emulator like DOSBox or run in a reasonable rate.

Andreas Bollhalder has created a QEMU installation with FreeDOS and PC / GEOS 4 with Breadbox Ensemble Lite and offers them for download. QEMU is this before with adapted VGA - enabled BIOS.

With the help of the commercial product Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac OS X PC / GEOS 4 runs best with the ISUI surface. The speed on a G4 Macintosh moves with MS- DOS 7 on 80486 level.

System design and kernel

The object-oriented in the 8086 assembly language Espire and also object-oriented derivative of the C programming language called GOC developed PC / GEOS provides true preemptive multitasking, multithreading, dynamic linked libraries, vector fonts, and since 1990 an advanced file system that supports long file names, and file comments.

PC / GEOS needed, together with all the bundled applications, including comprehensive office software, depending on the version, 5 to 20 megabytes of memory and thus belongs to the highest possible optimized programmed systems.

The basis of PC / GEOS one depending on the version about 70 to 100 kilobytes less than 16 bit kernel with callable operating system routines for preemptive multitasking, dynamic memory management, task communication, object support, and graphics and window management. The kernel takes the device driver provided by GEOS and DOS.

GUI technology

The completely via keyboard, as well as by stylus or mouse user interface provides true WYSIWYG with scalable vector fonts and vector graphics. It is based on a device-independent coordinate system with 72 dots per inch and adapted elements of Unix Open surfaces look and OSF / Motif.

With ISUI (Industry Standard User Interface), Motif, Open Look and several other free buildable and largely compiled from the same elements PC / GEOS user already incurred. Since the year 1999, starting with version 3.0 in addition to a Motif to Microsoft Windows 9x ajar desktop interface, the NewUI, currently also called ISUI available. GeoManager, the main component of Motif, also can be started from the NewUI and serves as a file manager.

Since the object system is in GEOS able to save its current state, can be found after returning from a DOS program, all applications in the same condition as before.

Driver

PC / GEOS uses as its DOS extension back to its driver. It is thus dependent on the device support, the host system. It can also use extended memory as EMS or XMS. A few drivers provide preemptive multitasking in DOS.

Application software

For PC / GEOS exist interlocking office applications for word processing, database management, vector and raster graphics programs or spreadsheets. PDF files can be viewed only limited because the size of main memory is very short. The manufacturer Breadbox Computer Company sales for 2005 stand 58 optional PC / GEOS applications, mainly office and education. There are also 10 other commercial and about 100 shareware programs. Because of the dependence on DOS can be used with PC / GEOS also many old games.

Internet Software

In addition to the application software, there are also software for internet usage, including an HTML 3.2 compatible Web browser, a POP3 e- mail client and news reader as well as IRC, FTP, instant messenger and HTML editor software.

The current version 3.0 of the browser Webmagick (formerly Skipper ) does not support JavaScript, or stylesheets, and is not designed for multimedia content such as audio or video.

Security against computer viruses

When using PC / GEOS protection measures are mainly mounted against old and only rarely in circulation DOS viruses. PC / GEOS itself hitherto does not contain viruses or malicious programs.

Software development on PC / GEOS

For programmers, PC / GEOS offers two versions of the SDK for Borland C 3.1 IDE (DOS, GEOS 2.0, due for higher versions suitable ) or the Borland C / C 4.5 compiler (last 16 -bit compiler from Borland ). The earlier and GeoWorks internal Sun workstation SDK version is no longer available. A separate precompiler and linker set the GOC proprietary object model to C . Both versions of the SDK include a macro assembler for object-oriented assembly language Espire, their use is mandatory for the driver programming. ESpire implements an object model and messaging system. The kernel itself has been developed entirely in Espire. With Geo -Basic is a convenient UI designer for GOC programmers ago. In addition there are other programming languages.

Market situation

PC / GEOS was from 1990 to 2000 a competing product with similar graphical user interfaces for DOS. Windows 3.x and Windows 9x, Digital Research's GEM for the PC or Quarterdecks Desqview / X were well-known competitors. PC / GEOS was for two years after its market introduction in 1990 the market leader in this area. AOL chose it as the first two versions of the software to our telephone to dial into the AOL offer commercial platform. According to the previous manufacturer " NewDeal " from the year 2000 it was able to achieve significant market share in South Africa, Brazil and India in NewDeal version of Office.

Today PC / GEOS as ZETA, AmigaOS or RISC OS is in a group locally or weakly continental and especially for special purposes widespread systems.

Since 2002, PC / GEOS is in its latest version 4, along with the office software versions Breadbox Ensemble, in multi-user licenses for schools and NewDeal Office 2000 for individuals only world's only at the current manufacturer and owner of rights, " Breadbox Computer Company ," and when distributor clicks -Ltd. available. Breadbox, which developed primarily as a contract company for Nokia smartphones in the Symbian OS segment, plans with PC / GEOS initially learning software market share in educational institutions and learning OEM computer manufacturers to recover. Since Breadbox is not a joint stock company, releases to the development status and planned targets are rare and sparse.

Similar competing products

Current, but not commercial DOS-compatible competitors to PC / GEOS with similar objectives and technical requirements are OpenGEM and developments to matrix - OS, Qube -3P and SEAL OS. As a commercial competitor with technological and market policy similar philosophy and areas of RISC OS can be called. This is used on RISC PCs and other RISC systems with a StrongARM CPU. In other, the same philosophy entstamme ends GEOS systems such as GEOS -SC and GEOS for eg the C64 and Apple II PC / GEOS has no data compatibility and only low optical similarities.

History of development

PC / GEOS 1 with GeoWorks ensemble

1990 GEOS, which has already been offered for the home computer models Commodore C64, C128 and Apple II, was written in pure 6502 assembler, adapted to x86 - compatible personal computer running DOS operating system and for the first time on the IT technology fair " Comdex Fall " published in Autumn 1990 in Las Vegas named PC / GEOS 1.0.

It was united by the original inventors of the corporation GeoWorks Corporation, which was called prior to 1990 Berkeley Softworks and before that operated under the name The Soft Works with office software, and offered in the subsequent period under the name GeoWorks ensemble in versions 1.x to 2:01.

OS/90 and GeoDOS below were the original names for the later PC / GEOS. Journalists, which for testing OS/90- and later GeoDOS betas approached, enthusiastically reported by several supplied GUIs, but which were missing because of license issues of the later publication. Developed OS/90 ( GeoDOS ) and later PC / GEOS 1.x on Sun SPARCstation workstation computers in assembly language.

In the early years of computer platform could be developed only on the 4,500 U.S. $ expensive Sun SPARCstation. It was not until about 1994 was a first DOS version of the Software Development Kit (SDK ) are available for purchase for widespread x86 computer.

Version 1.2 had a spell check the local language in GeoWrite and drivers for PostScript printers. In addition, version 1.2 offered to manage the print queue, sample documents, new icons for DOS programs, additional assignments with keyboard shortcuts, support for installation and additional applications such as a NIMBUS fonts converter. The trim GeoWorks 1.2 -Pro was offered in addition to a reduced functionality version of the Borland Quattro Pro spreadsheet for DOS. Then there was a viewer for Quattro Pro files.

PC / GEOS 2 with GeoWorks ensemble

In 1993, PC / GEOS 1.x in object- assembler for the core ( kernel) and almost all applications, and in some cases largely rewritten in C and published together with the revised, integrated office software package GeoWorks ensemble as PC / GEOS 2.0. The OEM PC manufacturers Vobis brought computers equipped with the PC / GEOS 2.0 OEM on the market. The company Eureka and below the digit Ostermann GmbH marketed the system for several years exclusively in the German speaking area.

1994 was published with GeoWorks Ensemble 2:01 another version of the system -use with the first two PC / GEOS computers could be connected for data exchange. Also it contained the AOL 2.0 software. Due to the dominance of Microsoft developed " GeoWorks " in the years 1992-1995 based on PC / GEOS, a new system, called PEN / GEOS used mainly on smartphones and PDAs.

PC / GEOS 2 with NewDeal Office

GeoWorks 1994 sold the licensing rights for PC / GEOS to the company NewDeal, a newly established for this purpose company of the former AOL, Quantum Link and Commodore manager Clive G. Smith. NewDeal was obliged to appoint new PC / GEOS and GeoWorks ensemble. NewDeal Office 2.5 in 1996 on the market. To overcome marketing problems NewDeal presented with NewDeal 2.5e -Publish a limited, English shareware version. Since 2003 is from this first NewDeal shareware product before an unofficial translated into German version.

NewDeal Office 97 was the first PC / GEOS version which does not crash when more than 32 megabytes of RAM, but could use this. They also had a SVGA driver for a maximum resolution of 800 × 600 pixels and 256 colors, however, was unstable.

NewDeal Office 98 contained eight more applications under license from the Breadbox Computer Company, including for the first time to import and export a web browser, VESA -compatible SVGA video card driver for TrueColor and could also files in RTF and HTML formats.

NewDeal focused its marketing efforts on families, schools, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, educational, Used computer, development aid, small businesses with fewer than 25 employees and OEM licensees. PC / GEOS was supported in the form of " NewDeal Office 98 " of the U.S. government for development assistance and school projects in their own country and the United Nations and used. Some Canadian provinces licensed " NewDeal Office " on the marketer Universal Software International ( USI) as school software, and took the Learning with PC / GEOS several years in state curricula on.

PC / GEOS 3 with NewDeal Office

In 1999, the system under the name NewDeal Office 98 Release 3 ( 3.1b ) optionally Motif, with NewUI one based on Windows 95 desktop surface, including Taskbar and one that Windows technology very similar, menu, to launch applications and selection files. Version 3 ( 3.1b ) was the first PC / GEOS, which is based on Windows NT 4 was executed and had its own driver for Sound Blaster - compatible sound card. In 2000 came the improved versions 3.2 and 3.2a, which thereby distinguished themselves that the for Release 3 ( 3.1b ) only optional Internet Software now came in the box and with version 3.2a in an improved, even if not quite stable version existed.

PC / GEOS 4 NewDeal with Office 2000

Beginning of 2000 brought NewDeal with the help of other companies PC / GEOS 4 under the name NewDeal Office 2000 on the market. For PC / GEOS 4, the kernel has been greatly modernized and expanded the range of functions of several major applications of the office package again.

With big plans for the beginner, internet and office computer world GlobalPC was made together with pre-installed Office 2000 NewDeal by OEM license in China in 2000. The GlobalPC was a product of Robert E. Turner, son of Ted Turner founded, joint stock company MyTurn.com Inc. The GlobalPC should be bridged with high conversion the " digital divide " between rich and poor in the U.S. and developing countries and mainly recycled CNN transport content. For this purpose, PC / GEOS was launched by default in Easy Desktop, a user interface that should make PC / GEOS as simple as a "money machine " to use.

With the. COM crisis and the stock market crash financially strong investors deprived of much-needed funds in 2001 MyTurn.com. The subsequent bankruptcy of the company also tore the NewDeal financially involved in MyTurn.com into bankruptcy. NewDeal and its subsidiary GreenPC, which marketed and used computers with New Deal Office 3.2 in U.S. schools, then dismissed all 125 employees and sold the rights to PC / GEOS to a tenth of the price paid to GeoWorks to the company Breadbox Computer Company.

The last published in 2001 by NewDeal product was not linked to the GlobalPC, available separately NewDeal Office 2000, which was regarded in 2005 as well as the most extensive PC / GEOS version.

PC / GEOS 4 with Breadbox Ensemble

The now mostly on Symbian OS software working on behalf of Nokia company Breadbox Computer Company from Florida acquired after the bankruptcy of the previous PC / GEOS licensee NewDeal 2003, the development and marketing rights to PC / GEOS for all hardware platforms.

As of 2002, was of this company PC / GEOS 4.0.2.0 and Breadbox Ensemble called Office software available in English. Followed in 2005 by the version 4.1.0.0. Both versions have been released directly from Breadbox to individuals. She could only be acquired in several number of educational institutions and similar organizations. However, the version 4.1.0.0 was available from 2005 through the distributor SUN 2000 as an e -mail attachment for individual customers. For additional product application were by the end of 2005, three different free limited demonstration versions available for download from the manufacturer's page.

In 2001 Breadbox formed several groups of translators and this sent 4.0.1.x betas. The volunteer translators in 2002 presented a fully translated into German Breadbox Ensemble version from the manufacturer. Direct sales of Breadbox Ensemble to individuals in versions for the languages German, French, Spanish or Portuguese had to wait until January 4, 2006 to be.

For licensing reasons, the Breadbox Ensemble developed by NewDeal Easy desktop is missing. Some other applications have been replaced by less sophisticated in-house developments. The Internet software was a total of greatly improved, so that it can be described as stable since this version. A Pentium 2 400 MHz system can already be considered as a high performance device for the operation of PC / GEOS 4.x.

Confusion of terms with pcGEOS

PcGEOS is a first time in 1995 by Jochen Metzinger ( Germany / Hamburg University ) presented x86 -DOS compatible software to convert C64/128-GEOS ( geoWrite and geoDraw ) files in x86 - compatible data formats.

MS-DOS Color Graphics Adapter Enhanced Graphics Adapter CD-ROM Bulletin board system Integrated Services Digital Network Stylus (computing) Open Software Foundation Newsreader (Usenet) Internet Relay Chat HTML-Editor Graphical Environment Manager GEOS (8-bit operating system) Commodore International Commodore 128 Assembly language#Assembler

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