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'''FutureOS''' is an operating system for the Amstrad [[CPC6128|CPC6128]], 6128plus, [[C-ONE|C-One]] and [[CPC TREX|T-Rex1]]. The version for the CPCPlus supports some of its special features. FutureOS was/is beeing developed by [[TFM|TFM]] of [[FutureSoft|FutureSoft]] in [[Z80|Z80]] assembler. Its development continues from 1989 up to now (2008). FutureOS is controlled by a GUI allows the user to control the computer with icons with an icon section and a file section, ; it can deal with files up to 4 MB long files big in one piece. It has a dynamic memory management system, which divides RAM into 16 KB blocks. Further it supports a variety of hardware expansions. FutureOS is delivered together with basic utilities in the same ROMs.

The core of the OS itself is executed directly in (Pseudo-)ROM or [[Dobbertin EPROM 224|EPROM]] where it is divided (in four 16 KB blocks). It jumps between the ROMs with the help of a little common area. Therefore the numbers of the four 16 KB ROMs are hardcoded.

'''FutureOS''' uses 2 KB (&B800...&BFFF) of the first 64 KB, all other ; the rest of the RAM can be used for is available to applications. Additional RAM can be occupied reserved for DIRectory buffering. Furthermore the OS uses memory management, file-handling and Low/Mid/High-level routines to access the hardware.

From AmsDOS/Basic you can start '''FutureOS''' can be launched from AmsDOS with the RSX commands |OS or |FDESK. If you use |FDESK you can leave '''FutureOS''' and get back to BASIC where you have stopped before - the first 48 KB (not the screen) have been preserved.

'''FutureOS''' only runs well on a [[CPC6128|CPC6128]] or 6128plus (not CPC464 or 664), because they of their support the for RAM configuration &C3 (which is essential for the mouse arrow of the GUIpointer).

== GUI UI ==

The Desktop of FutureOS work surface uses a point-and-click interface, though it is divided not completely graphical in two sectionsits nature. First an icon-section, where you The pointer can choose your functionsbe controlled with a joystick, mouse, trackball or light-pen. Second there There is no command line. Therefore FutureOS stands somewhere in the middle between a section below, where you can browse through directories of discs console interface and harda fully-disc partitionsfledged GUI, since there are not the classical elements of WIMP that characterize a GUI but also there is no command line.

The Desktop can be controlled using a joystick, mouse, trackball or light-pen. There work surface of FutureOS is no command linedivided into two sections. The user interface On top there is graphical, you click on an area holding several icons , where the user can choose a function. Below that the user can browse through directories of discs and files to select them for subsequent actionshard-disc partitions.

Applications can call the GUI UI as a subroutine. The icons are fixed, so you will always work with the same desktoplayout. Files can be viewed on-screen (scroll up and down) or printed. File headers can also be viewed. When typing a text file it is possible to set the number of columns and lines of the window the text is displayed in.

Aside Apart from the ROM resident GUI UI mentioned above there is another part of FutureOSs surfacefor FutureOS, the command bar menu [[CBM|CBM]]. It consists of several flexible pull down menus and file selectors. You can easily use [[CBM|CBM]] for your own programs. Since all programs that use [[CBM|CBM]] look similar its also easy to use different programs in an intuitive way.

The file system of FutureOS works at the same time with different can handle multiple simultaneous floppy disc drives and hard disc partitions. After the selection of the devices a device FutureOS reads and buffers the DIRectories directory entries of all devices that should be usedthe medium. Integrated utilities like the multi file copy can copy files from different physical sources to different physical sources destinations in one run.

The file system is compatible with the CPCs native data-, file- and format structures (f. e. File-header, Disc-formats). It is not compatible with native [[AMSDOS|AMSDOS]] or [[CP/M|CP/M]] programs. FutureOS and compatible applications can be downloaded at: [http://www.FutureOS.de www.FutureOS.de].

Filenames can use all 256 different characters and user numbers areas from 0 to 254 (except for &E5, which marks a is reserved for deleted filefiles). Different to Unlike Amsdos, a file that is erased under FutureOS will is not be shifted to user &E5, but it will be is physically removed from the directory. Files can be viewed on-screen (scroll up and down) or printed. You can also view the file-header. When typing a text-file it is possible to set the number of columns and lines of the window the text is displayed in. File-headers are displayed as AmsDOS file files or the icon-like file-header of a FutureOS program. An AmsDOS file-header has 128 bytes of which some bytes are unused. FutureOS makes use of those unused bytes so that files have a length definition of 24bit and can have a physical RAM select. Therefore a file can be defined to be loaded everywhere in the external RAM. Also a FutureOS file-header can contain a graphical icon, a textual icon or a short description of the file.

The OS supports many of the hardware available for the CPC, including real-time-clocks, the Vortex disc drives, several mice & trackballs and the Dobbertin HD20 hard disc. Also the [[SYMBiFACE II|SYMBiFACE II]] (RTC and PS/2 mouse, RAM, ROM, IDE low level) are is supported in system .8 beta. One idea of the ambitions of FutureOS was is to support any all hardware available. For example there are , like 3.5" B-drives, Vortex F1-D-drives, hard-discsHDDs, real-time-clocks, serial interfaces etc.  Hardware expansion expansions usually need drivers, which that can be flexible flexibly added to an OS. In contrast Contrary to this one of the approach, a goal of FutureOS is to provide a monolithik centrally-oriented architecture, where all drivers are implemented in a hardcoded way, because . This is possible since the CPC has clearly defined hardware expansions compared to a PC.

*''Disc drives and hard discs:'' FutureOS supports up to eight drives and up to four hard-disc partitions. It buffers the directories read from any mass storage device in the expansion RAM.

*''Plug and Play:'' If you connect a hardware expansion is connected to a the CPC, FutureOS will '''automatically detect ''' that expansion, initialise it and make it accessibleavailable to the user. The architecture of the OS allows you to add and remove hardware on purpose. An example: You add a trackball, you use it, then you connect and use a joystick and then you use a proportional mouse for example. You The user can turn switch external hardware on or off in the configuration-bytes on or off (use ConfigOS utility).

Tools There exist tools like copy, format, verify or refresh a disc existdirectory refreshing. You Multiple files can copy files from be copied between different discs and partitions to other discs and partitions at oncephysical media in one go.

From the Desktop you can call a little A small machine monitoris also provided. This monitor provides features like CPU register editing of CPU registers and , I/O ports, memory editing and display and edit memory or the content manipulation of the ASIC of the 6128pluscontents (6128 Plus). Memory blocks can be copied or initialised. It is possible to call a routine with defined CPU registers and memory.

FutureOS was is designed as an OS with fast routines and support of for nearly all CPC expansions. It has specialised file-handling and memory-management capabilities that support programs up to 4 MB. The idea is that development of games, graphic tools, word processors, sound (especially MP3), management of big amounts of data, and programming languages are possible in this environment. Today you At this point, the user can hear listen to MP3 soundsfiles, work with graphic, use C programs, watch movies &amp; demos and play games. <br>