Difference between revisions of "Desktop Environment System"

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[[Image:DES.gif|thumb|320px|DES screen shot]]
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[[Image:DES.gif|thumb|320px|Screenshot of ''Desktop Environment System'']]
  
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'''DES''' (Desktop Environment System) is a graphical user interface for the Amstrad CPC released by [[Campursoft]]. Its aim was to realise a system similiar to GEOS on the C64. Applications could be started from a desktop and used the GUI library of DES.
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''Desktop Environment System'' (shortened to ''DES'') is a graphical user interface (GUI) for the Amstrad CPC which was programmed by [[Michael Beckett]] and released by [[Campursoft]] on both disc and ROM. The disc version cost £14.99, and the ROM version cost £24.99. The ROM version occupied two ROMs and booted directly into the GUI environment, bypassing the BASIC command line entirely (although this could be prevented by holding down the SPACE bar).
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The aim of ''DES'' was to realise a system that was similar to graphical user interfaces for other computers, such as ''GEOS'' on the C64, ''Microsoft Windows'' for PCs, and ''Mac OS'' for the Apple Macintosh. Applications could be started from a desktop and used the GUI library of ''DES''. Control of the cursor was performed through a mouse (such as the [[AMX Mouse]]), a joystick, or the keyboard (using the cursor keys).
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== Applications ==
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Unlike the many other graphical user interfaces for the CPC that had been released previously, ''DES'' allowed programmers to write their own applications, thanks to the built-in library of routines (which were accessed in a similar way to the CPC's own firmware routines). Campursoft hoped that if external ''DES'' applications were programmed, then ''DES'' would become more popular. However, only a few applications were ever released:
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* CPC Disc Editor (Michael Beckett)
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* DES Camera Utility (Michael Beckett) - a utility to grab and save screenshots from within ''DES''
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* Desktop Organise ([[ChaRleyTroniC|Richard Fairhurst]])
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* DES Tape Archiver (Michael Beckett)
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* [[DesText]] ([[Wild Thang|Richard Wildey]]) - a front-end for [[Arnor]]'s ''[[Protext]]'' word processor
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* Directory Printer ([[Wild Thang|Richard Wildey]])
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== Reviews ==
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* [[Clur Hodgson]] reviewed ''DES'' in the March 1994 issue of ''[[Amstrad_Action,_Issue_102,_1994|Amstrad Action]]'' (issue 102), giving it an overall rating of 84%.
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{|
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|-
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| [[image:DES review p36.jpg|none|thumb|300px|DES review on Amstrad Action 102]]
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| [[image:DES review p37.jpg|none|thumb|300px|DES review on Amstrad Action 102]]
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|}
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* Richard Fairhurst reviewed ''DES'' in issue 1 of ''[[Better than Life]]'', giving it an overall rating of 75%.
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== Manuals ==
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* [[Media:DES User Manual.pdf|DES User Manual]] (pdf)
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* [[Media:DES Programer Manual.pdf|DES Programmer's Guide]] (pdf) (scanned version)
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* [[Media:Desprog.pdf|DES Programmer's Guide]] (pdf) (OCRed version from Kevin Thacker)
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== Screen shots ==
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<gallery caption="Screen shots showing DES and some of the extenstions in action">
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Image:des gui 1.png
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Image:des gui 2.png
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Image:des gui 3.png
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Image:des gui 4.png
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Image:des gui 5.png
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Image:des gui 6.png
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Image:des gui 7.png
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Image:des gui 8.png
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Image:des gui 9.png
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Image:des gui 10.png
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</gallery>
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== Download ==
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[[media:desr.zip|DES Desktop Environment ROMs]]
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[[media:DES_ROMs.rar|DES ROMs on a HFE image for easy transfer]]
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[[media:DES_apps.rar|DES apps]], including the Protext ROM, in both DSK (provided by Terje) and HFE format.
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[[Category:Disc Operating System]] [[category:Expansion ROM]] [[Category:Manual]][[Category:CPC GUI]]

Latest revision as of 03:50, 14 February 2014

Screenshot of Desktop Environment System

Desktop Environment System (shortened to DES) is a graphical user interface (GUI) for the Amstrad CPC which was programmed by Michael Beckett and released by Campursoft on both disc and ROM. The disc version cost £14.99, and the ROM version cost £24.99. The ROM version occupied two ROMs and booted directly into the GUI environment, bypassing the BASIC command line entirely (although this could be prevented by holding down the SPACE bar).

The aim of DES was to realise a system that was similar to graphical user interfaces for other computers, such as GEOS on the C64, Microsoft Windows for PCs, and Mac OS for the Apple Macintosh. Applications could be started from a desktop and used the GUI library of DES. Control of the cursor was performed through a mouse (such as the AMX Mouse), a joystick, or the keyboard (using the cursor keys).

Applications

Unlike the many other graphical user interfaces for the CPC that had been released previously, DES allowed programmers to write their own applications, thanks to the built-in library of routines (which were accessed in a similar way to the CPC's own firmware routines). Campursoft hoped that if external DES applications were programmed, then DES would become more popular. However, only a few applications were ever released:

Reviews

DES review on Amstrad Action 102
DES review on Amstrad Action 102
  • Richard Fairhurst reviewed DES in issue 1 of Better than Life, giving it an overall rating of 75%.

Manuals

Screen shots

  • Screen shots showing DES and some of the extenstions in action
  • Des gui 1.png
  • Des gui 2.png
  • Des gui 3.png
  • Des gui 4.png
  • Des gui 5.png
  • Des gui 6.png
  • Des gui 7.png
  • Des gui 8.png
  • Des gui 9.png
  • Des gui 10.png

Download

DES Desktop Environment ROMs

DES ROMs on a HFE image for easy transfer

DES apps, including the Protext ROM, in both DSK (provided by Terje) and HFE format.

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