GUI operating systems?

[Jason]

I am tinkering with my zx units and want to know: are there any user friendly GUI OS out there that can be put onto the Sinclairs? I have access to an EPROMM burner and will definitely be picking up any and all ZXpander units. *yes, I know this is costly* As well as the installation of the faster Z80H cpu, bumping this from 4mhx to 6.5mhz.

I would just like to know if an early version of windows or something can be put onto this wondrous machine!

[Rink]

Did anyone ever make a disk drive for the ZX81? Don't think I've ever seen an OS (GUI or otherwise) on a machine which had no removable storage... After all, what would you use it for?

Maybe someone should think about porting CP/M or writing an OS for ZXpand based systems. Won't be me - I don't have a ZXpand.

[1024MAK]

I have seen pictures of a floppy drive interface for a ZX81. I think it was either on this forum or on Sell My Retro.
What OS/firmware was used, I have no idea.
There have been custom home built systems (I'm sure the relevant forum member will be along in due course).
But that's all I know of.

Now that old PC IDE drives are cheap, someone could hack together some simple hardware and create a OS be it CP/M like or a simple GUI. But it would be limited due to the limited resources needed of hi-res video vs. CPU time for data transfer and OS activity.
For the same reason CP/M would be tricky.

But you never know!

Mark

[sirmorris]

There were a couple of floppy based systems, the main one being Larken.

The ZX81 hardware effectively precludes the use of CPM as it cripples access to the upper 32K of RAM for anything other than data storage on an unmodified machine - I'm sure the IX/IY ban and the crazy display generation would also present some challenges to the unwary CPM implementor

[Jason]

Thanks for the info.

This will be a breadboard computer with a clicky keyboard, so space is no problem.

Since i COULD use a floppy drive as a makeshift hard drive, wouldnt it make more sense to truly modernize it, trying to adapt a solid state laptop drive to it?

I have a few local programmer friends who would like to help. So im crossing my fingers that we can do this, somehow. Adapting an oldschool GUI to work on this little machine. The addition of a hard drive. And whatever other electronic mischief we can think up.

Oh and dont ask "why" im attempting this, its just for the fun of diving into a new and fun hobby.

[sirmorris]

I don't think anyone here would ever ask why

I look forward to hearing about your adventures!

[siggi]

The C-compiler Z88DK, which can be used to make programs for a ZX81, supports already GUI functions

http://www.z88dk.org/wiki/doku.php?id=library:wingui
and
http://www.z88dk.org/wiki/doku.php?id=library:xlib

For more details see
http://www.z88dk.org/wiki/doku.php

I have already run some demo programs for window handling ... on my Zeddy. Works, but is not too fast

Good luck
Siggi

Edit: Z88DK can also generate relocatable code (some "tricks" are necessary, to use that on a Zeddy, see Z88DK-forum)

[Rink]

<Duplicate post - Sorry>

[Rink]

Since i COULD use a floppy drive as a makeshift hard drive, wouldnt it make more sense to truly modernize it, trying to adapt a solid state laptop drive to it?

Yup. I'm working on my own Z80 based computer off and on at the minute and have plans for a large solid state storage device in there.

Oh and dont ask "why" im attempting this, its just for the fun of diving into a new and fun hobby.

Can is more important than why.

Stuff to bare in mind: the ability to move files from one device to another is not an OS (that's what file managers are for - ZXCommander?) so you want to invest time in thinking about the other benefits an OS can provide. E.g. relocatable code (in memory) with dynamic linked libraries (reducing program size, ensuring cohesion and consistency etc. etc.), some level of multi-tasking etc. etc.

*That* would be cool!

[stefano]

For the record, I think I spotted the main reason for the xlib demo being that slow: for some odd reasons drawing (and erasing) vertical lines with the current graphics library is incredibly slow.